QUESTIONS/ANSWERS FROM THE QUESTION FORUM
Group Number 72
The following is brother Blakely's response to an article on abortion. The article justified abortion under certain conditions, affirming life began at the point of birth, and not within the womb. An unborn infant was referred to as a "fetus," and carrying a child as "pregnancy." Thus, it was affirmed, a personhood began at birth, not within the womb.
I was troubled by the
haberdashery that brother Kirby pawned off in his personal view of the genesis
of life. The liberty he exhibited in sounding out his private views of life
concern me, because he is speaking of a matter that pertains to God. Since God
alone "makes alive" (Deut 32:39), and life itself is described as "the spirit"
or "breath of God" being in our "nostrils" (Job 27:3), we are obliged to reflect
the mind of the Lord in our view of life whether of its beginning or its
conclusion. Brother Kirby's reasoning was much closer to the earth than to
heaven, reflecting human wisdom rather than the mind of Christ. I thought his
statement concerning living things was most unique: "something can be alive
without living." What a breakthrough in the field of definition! I suppose
something can also be dead without dying.
I realize it conforms to the world's way of thinking to say "where pregnancy
occurred because of rape, we should not make a woman feel guilty of murder who
elects to terminate the pregnancy by abortion in early months." Those who
imagine they have been granted the ability to make such decisions would be
better off to pray to the Father, "deliver us from evil." If they are as wise
and insightful as they pretend, God will surely hear their prayers. The
interesting thing is that when the law approached the matter of rape, it
demanded the death of the one who raped the woman (Deut 22:25-27).
The postulate that life begins at birth rather than conception does not account
for the growth process. Where is growth ever attributed to something or someone
that is not alive, or living? In his rudimentary wisdom, even Solomon knew that
"bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child" (Eccl 11:5). How is it
that Almighty God Himself formed, and knew, Jeremiah before he exited from the
womb (Jer 1:5). Was He recognizing as a person something that was not alive? Why
did He choose to identify Jeremiah as a person while he was still in the womb?
It was Jeremiah himself that was "formed," "sanctified," and "ordained" by God
almighty when he was in "the womb." Is that the way God speaks of something that
is not living? And God makes a point of saying these things applied BEFORE
Jeremiah was "born." God and brother Kirby speak differently of children in the
womb.
Why are offspring called "the fruit of the womb" (Gen 30:2; Psa 127:3; Isa
13:18)? Does fruit come from a domain in which there is no life? Jesus spoke of
the absurdity of gathering grapes from thorns or figs from thistles (Matt 7:16).
But what of obtaining fruit from a domain in which life does not exist? That is
like gathering fruit from rocks! Job knew that God had made and fashioned him [a
person] "in the womb" (Job 31:15). How could such knowledge be withheld from
someone living in the blazing glory of the Sun of righteousness? If God makes
and fashions what is in the womb, who will champion the right of a person any
person to cut God's work short, terminating it as though God had dispensed
such a right to mortals? Or, does brother Kirby care to say there are sometimes
when God does not begin the process of children being formed in the womb? Or,
perhaps, God becomes involved in the process only after the third month, sixth
month, or during the travail that leads to birth.
The law dealt with a premature birth, or miscarriage. If a woman with child was
struck during a fight between two men, and it resulted in the premature birth of
her child, certain directions were given. If no "serious injury" occurred, and
the mother and child lived, the offender would only be fined. However, in the
case of death, whether of the child or the mother, the offender was to be put to
death. The interesting thing about this, is that the punishment was described in
these words, "you are to take life for life" (Ex 21:23). If that was true of a
child lost when a man struck the woman bearing it, why is it not true of a man
who intentionally aborts the birth of the child. And what of the mother who
consents to such a procedure?
How is it that Jacob and Esau contended with each other while they were in
Rebekah's womb? Were they living, or were those contentions merely muscle
spasms? How is it that God referred to, what brother Kirby calls "the fetus," as
"the children," "two nations," and "two manner of people" (Gen 25:22-23)? That
is, indeed, a strange way to speak of two "somethings" that were not living. It
cannot be countered that this was merely said in prospect of what they would be,
for they are called "children" while yet in the womb. Unacquainted with brother
Kirby's view, Paul also spoke of what was conceived by Isaac in Rachel as "the
children being not yet born" (Rom 9:10-11). He made no distinction in the
personhood of Jacob and Esau before and after they were born. Their identity as
individuals began in the womb, not after their birth.
When David accounted for his own life, he did not point to his birth, but to his
conception (Psa 51:5). It was he who was conceived, not a "fetus." Women who
were, as brother Kirby would say, "pregnant," are said by the Holy Spirit to be
"with child," not "with fetus" (Gen 16:11; Gen 19:36; Ex 21:22; 2 Kgs 8:12; Matt
24:19; 1 Thess 5:3). I suppose it might be conjectured that the child was not
living, but such a conjecture is nothing more than an exercise of vanity and a
display of abysmal ignorance.
Where in all of nature is something born that was not living before it was born?
Even a flower was a living bud before it blossomed. If you could talk to cows
and elephants, they would probably laugh if you attempted to tell them their
calves were not living until they were born. How much more is such a thing an
absurdity when it applies to the "offspring of God" (Acts 17:29).
When John the Baptist was conceived, the Holy Spirit chose to say of Elizabeth,
"she conceived A SON in her old age," not a fetus (Luke 1:36). When John was yet
in the womb, a "fetus" by brother Kirby's definition, it is said, "the babe
leaped in her womb" (Lk 1:41). This leaping was motivated by a spiritual
rationale, for it is written the babe "leaped for joy" (Lk 1:44). By scientific
definition, John was a six-month unborn vertebrae, with neither personality nor
life. By God's definition, he was the babe" that could be filled with the Holy
Spirit and leap for joy. The word "babe" is the same word (brephos) used to
describe Jesus, "the babe in swaddling clothes" (Lk 2:12). It is also used to
describe what the shepherds found when they worshiped the babe Jesus (Lk 2:16).
It is used to describe the "infants" women brought to Jesus to bless (Lk 18:15),
and Timothy who was taught from a "child" (2 Tim 315). In fact, mighty John was
"filled with the Holy Spirit, while yet in his mother's womb" (Lk 1:15). Can you
imagine someone trying to explain to John that he was not living then, but was
only "alive" -- that he was only a fetus, and not a person at all. I am sure he
would tell them it does take life to enable someone to "leap." It also requires
personality to experience "joy." For that matter, it should be repulsive to any
child of God to hear the Author of life represented as filling an impersonal
mass of human tissue with His Holy Spirit.
In the case of Jesus, if brother Kirby is right, a Living Spirit overshadowing
Mary, conceived a non-living fetus within her who became living only when He was
born (Luke 1:31-35). The spirit is careful to tell us Jesus Himself was
"conceived in the womb" (Lk 2:21). The "child" Jesus had personal identity in
the womb as well as in the manger, His circumcision, and His dedication.
It would be far better for those who see abortion as approved under
circumstances of their own choosing, to simply state their opinion and let the
matter go. There is no need to bring "living" into the matter, for then God has
become a part of the discussion. To present God as conceiving an impersonal
fetus (or, as some would have it, a "potential" person), and causing it to be
living and personal only at birth (as in the case of our blessed Lord) is
nothing less than foolishness draped with the cloth of intellectuality. Far
better to cast such imagination away as foolishness and filthy rags. Such
thoughts have no place in the mind of a child of God. They have been both
conceived and birthed by men, not God. Further, humanly conceived terms are used
as pillars to hold up such reasoning. Of course, those who chose such to speak
in such a manner will give an account for their words.
(IMMORALITY / PORN) It is
everywhere, but where do we stop? Is looking at what
people are portraying a sin? Is looking at their
nakedness on a TV screen a sin? Can you help us to determine
what we should watch in the privacy of our own home?
First, I commend you for your concern. On one occasion, Job spoke
of a covenant he made with his eyes. "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look
lustfully at a girl" (Job 31:1). He did not have a Bible, for he lived in the
time of Abraham. However, he knew that what he saw, would effect how he lived
and what he did. I cannot imagine him continuing to look at young girls, but
trying to do so without lusting. The arm of lust has to be broken, not tamed. In
other words, you have to withhold from the eye of lust what it feeds upon.
Jesus also spoke of the eye. He said the focus of our eye actually determined
what we were. Here is how He put it. "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your
eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad,
your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is
darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matt 6:22-23). The latter part of this
passage means that if I have really subjected myself to what is wrong, yet think
I am all right in doing so, I stand little chance of recovering.
What we choose to concentrate on will enter into our thoughts, our
subconscience, and eventually into our hearts.
Concerning your question, there is no set of rules that can be quickly scanned
to determine what we should watch and what we should not. Even if there was, the
human constitution needs more than a law, or a "do" or "don't." When there is a
question about what we do, that question itself prohibits the doing of it. The
Scripture states it more precisely. "Everything that does not come from faith is
sin" (Rom 14:23). That text is speaking of doubt, or not being sure what we do
is right. Something that "comes from faith" is something we do because we are
persuaded it is right, and God approves of it. This is the Bible way of talking
about our conscience. Does it send up red flags when we do or watch something,
or does it condone what we do?
The conscience, of course, must be kept sensitive and tender. That is what the
Scriptures call a "good conscience" (1 Tim 1:5,19). Because our conscience is
something like a watchman, care must be taken not to ignore it. It is possible
for the conscience to become "seared as with a hot iron" (1 Tim 4:2). That is,
even though it warns us, if we continually reject its warnings, it finally
becomes dead -- something like a murdered watchman. Such a condition is most
serious.
Concerning what you watch on TV, each person must resolve to honor God in their
own decision. If the other chooses to not go along with such a decision, they
are responsible for their own choice. The other must stick to their decision. It
is good is you can agree, and that is preferable. but if you cannot agree, the
one choosing to honor God must do precisely that.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself. They will assist in awakening the
conscience. They also deal with things that can really happen -- at any moment.
1. Is this what I want to be doing when Jesus comes?
2. Do I want to be watching this when I die?
3. How will I give an account for watching this when I stand before Jesus?
4. Would I be ashamed if some friends whom I considered exemplary Christians
knew I watched such things?
5. Will I quench the Holy Spirit by doing this?
6. Can I pray effectively after watching this?
7. Does this stir up good or evil thoughts in me? A good tree cannot produce
evil fruit.
8. Does this make the world or heaven more prominent in my thinking?
You see the nature of the inquiries, and can probably add many to the list. That
is the approach I would take, doing my best avoid any attempt to justify why I
watched a certain program. Do your best to think of it from heaven's point of
view. You will always come up with the right answers.
Please let me know
how you perceive Matthew 10 where it talks about the "unforgivable sin". Can
someone who has rejected God (and "given up" his salvation) then be re-convicted
and receive Jesus again, thereby entering back into a right relationship with
God.
I assume you mean Matthew 12:31: "Therefore I say to you, every sin and
blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be
forgiven men." Mark 13:28-30 reads as follows: "Assuredly, I say to you, all
sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter;
but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is
subject to eternal condemnation, because they said, "He has an unclean spirit."
Luke 12:10 also reads, "And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it
will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will
not be forgiven."
You will note that the words "unforgivable sin" are not mentioned in any of the
texts. There is a reason for this. The emphasis is not placed on the sin itself,
but on the person committing it. This speaks of a person who has reached the
depth of spiritual depravity, and has so hardened his heart that the working of
God is actually despised and aggressively opposed. Such a person has no
consciousness of God, as contrasted with Saul of Tarsus, when he was persecuting
the church of God (Acts 22:3-4). It is the wickedness of the person that has
made the sin so heinous. An example is the sin of Judas, as compared with the
three-time denial of Peter. The heart of Judas is what made what he did so evil.
The heart of Peter enabled him to recover when Jesus prayed for Him (Lk
22:31-32).
The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be accidentally committed. It is
not a sin from which repentance is even possible, or for which a person can
eventually be sorry. It is committed when a person can no longer be renewed to
repentance (Heb 6:4-6).
God knows when this sin has been committed. Men do not. Those with tender hearts
have not been given the wisdom to detect this sin in others, and those who have
committed it have no desire to detect it. Jesus is not telling us to look for a
certain sin from which men cannot recover, but to see to it that we do not get
on the path that leads to that sin -- the broad that leads to destruction. Jesus
is not warning us of a particular sin we must be careful to avoid, as though
there are sins for which we need not have any concern.
Sin dulls the human spirit and hardens the heart. Unless there is repentance and
contrition of heart, the one choosing to sin is headed toward the sin Jesus
mentioned.
No person who is convicted or repents will be turned away by Jesus. It makes no
difference how far they descended, or how despicable their sin was, if they can
make their way back to Jesus, He will receive them. That is precisely what our
Lord meant when he said, "the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out"
(John 6:37). In that text, Jesus revealed that the very fact the individual came
to Him was evidence God was working in him. However, woe to the person who
thinks he can exploit this by willingly indulging in sin. Such are deceived, and
are on the road to eternal ruin.
Any and every person who, in this life, comes to Christ will be received. I say
"in this life," because Jesus will turn the unfaithful aside who plead for
entrance in the day of judgment (Matt 7:23). In the parable of the five foolish
virgins, Jesus revealed there would be a time when unbelievers will have waited
too long. The door of salvation will be shut, and will not be opened to them,
even if they plead for it to be opened. That, we understand, will be when Jesus
comes again to conclude the affairs of earth.
In the meantime, this is "the day of salvation" (2 Cor 6:2), and men and women
are to avail themselves of it. They are never to assume they can indulge in sin
and quickly recover from it -- or come to the Lord at a more convenient time in
the future. They are to understand that Jesus will receive them if they but come
to Him. it is to be understood that coming TO Jesus involves coming AWAY FROM
sin,
I
believe and understand how important baptism is but what about a deathbed
profession where a person is really able to place their belief and trust in the
Lord Jesus at the last minute and would be baptized if they had lived?
There are some things to consider that will assist us in thinking of
this matter more correctly. The secret is being able to put these things
together in a believing heart.
FIRST, God is not looking for some technicality that necessitates the
condemnation of a person. He IS seeking to save men, not condemn them. Jesus
confirmed this very strongly. "For God sent not His Son into the world to
condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:17),
and "for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world" (John 12:47).
SECOND, under ordinary conditions, those with a heart to receive the salvation
of God will be led by Him into satisfactory and full obedience. It might very
well be a political official from Ethiopia (Acts 8:27-39), or a Gentile military
official who feared God and gave alms, but knew nothing of Jesus (Acts 10). In
both cases, it was highly unlikely that their hearts could be so satisfied --
but they were. The Lord so directed their paths that they could both believe on
Christ and be baptized. God has not ceased to work in this manner.
THIRD, no person of sound mind and honest heart questions the role of baptism in
salvation. God has spoken with such remarkable clarity on this matter that it is
difficult for me to understand how anyone could speak against it or question it.
I believe I have shared these with you already, but allow me to mention them
again. These are things with which the Holy Spirit has associated baptism.
1. Repentance (Acts 2:38).
2. The remission of sins (Acts 2:38).
3. The gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).
4. Believing (Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12; 18:8).
5. Salvation (mark 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21).
6. Being buried with Christ (Rom 6:4; Col 2:12).
7. Being raised with Christ (Rom 6:4; Col 2:12).
8. Being identified with Christ's death (Rom 6:3).
9. Becoming dead to sin (Rom 6:2-3).
10. Becoming alive to God (Rom 6:3-11).
11. The circumcision of Christ, in which the whole body of sin is cut away (Col
2:11-12).
12. Faith in the operation, or working, of God (Col 2:12).
13. Coming into Christ (Gal 3:27).
14. Putting on Christ (Gal 3:27).
15. A commandment (Acts 10:48).
16. The confession of Christ (Acts 8:36-37).
17. Gladly receiving the Word of God (Acts 2:41).
18. Washing away our sins (Acts 22:16).
19. Coming into one body through the Spirit (1 Cor 12:13).
FOURTH, it is the manner of the Spirit to emphasize the norm, or the standard,
not the exceptions. Things like deathbed repentance (which, incidentally, is a
term invented by men) are the exception, not the rule. God alone has charge of
the exceptions. They are an area in which men have no right to intrude. We know
from the thief on the cross, who himself was an exception to the rule, that
Jesus can save a person who, on the surface, has not met the ordinary
conditions. The thief was surely saved, but he is not the standard to which men
are to conform. He was saved without hearing preaching, without publicly
acknowledging that Jesus was the Son of God, and with no declaration of
repentance. So far as we know, he did not know WHY Jesus died, that God had laid
the sins of the world upon Him, or that He had come to be the Savior of the
world. It would be absurd for someone to teach that was the normal condition in
which men were saved. It would be equally absurd to say Jesus could not save a
person in that condition.
Our theology must be formed by the rule, not the exception. Thus, where the
individual has the opportunity and the choice, there is no question about
whether or not they should be baptized. Such people cannot point to a dying
thief to justify their failure to be baptized. Jesus Himself was baptized, even
after John tried to talk Him out of it. If that is all we knew about baptism, it
is enough to utterly demolish any reason for willfully withholding that
obedience.
If, on the other hand, we are faced with a penitent sinner who longs for the
salvation, yet is standing at death's door, we may still confidently give them
into the hands of an aggressive Savior. Such a person will be a trophy of God's
magnificent grace. However, he will not be an example for those who are in
robust health and able to do what the Lord commands.
A
person becomes a Christian when he is baptized in to Christ. What happens if the
person is rebaptized due to doubts?
This is a matter of conscience. By that, I mean no person outside
of the one who is being re-baptized is able to decipher the heart of the
individual when he was first baptized. There is an instance of people who were
re-baptized in Acts nineteen. These people were "disciples," but had not heard
about the Holy Spirit, or that their faith was to be in the One John preached.
If baptism is, in fact, "an appeal to God for a good conscience" (1 Pet 3:21,
NASB), then a person legitimately standing in doubt of their first baptism is in
order being baptized again.
In my judgment, a person seeking to be re-baptized should first of all be
instructed concerning the validity of believing and being baptized -- and that
such validity cannot be negated with time, or because the individual has in some
way retrogressed from that faith. If there is withdrawal from God, or
involvement in sin, the baptized person must be assured that the confession of
that sin to God will surely procure forgiveness and the cleansing from all
unrighteousness (1 John 1:7-9). If the person remains convinced he was baptized
for the wrong reasons, or did not have a believing heart, he should not be
discouraged from being re-baptized. That decision, however, is up to the
individual. This is not a matter regulated by Law. I know of nothing in
Scripture that suggests the Lord does not look with pity and grace upon a soul
who is eager to have a good conscience, and the persuasion he is accepted by
God.
In
Genesis 18 who are the 3 men who appear before Abraham.
These were apparently angelic messengers from God. Although this chapter begins
by saying "the LORD appeared unto him (Abraham)," it was not unusual for such
appearances to be accomplished through angels. Thus, the account of Moses and
the burning bush says the angel of the Lord appeared to him, and also that God
called unto him (Ex 3:2-4). In recounting this incident, Stephen says the Lord
spoke to Moses. he also says it was an angel that appeared to him in the bush
(Acts 7:30-35). A similar account is provided of the giving of the Law. On the
one hand, it is written that the people heard "the voice of God" (Deut 4:33). On
the other hand, it is also declared "the Law was given by the disposition of
angels" (Acts 7:53). The law, it is written, was "spoken by angels" (Heb 2:2).
Thus, I conclude the three men were angels, sent by God, and bearing the message
of God. Their word carried all of the weight of God speaking directly out of
heaven. We also know these men went down to Sodom to destroy it -- something men
could not do. The Scriptures doubtless refer to the experiences of both Abraham
and Lot when they declare, "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby
some have entertained angels unawares" (Heb 13:2). Manoah, Samson's father, had
a similar experience (Judges 13:16).
Will there ever be a
time on Earth when a person cannot find the truth? . . . I am wondering if it
will ever happen that a man will not find Truth, that there will no longer be
any opportunities to learn, to worship or to grow spiritually.
You probably remember that Amos prophesied of a time when there would be a
famine of the hearing of God's Word. "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord
GOD, "That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst
for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to
sea, And from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the
LORD, But shall not find it" (Amos 8:11-12). Notice, the text does not say there
would be a famine of the Word itself, but a famine of "HEARING the words of the
Lord." Few would be speaking it, but it would still be there. This would not be
owing to a single individual, but to a spiritual climate that prevailed among
the people. Once, in the history of Israel, something like that occurred. The
way Isaiah describes it is challenging. He describes it as truth being "fallen
in the street" and actually "failing" (Isa 59:14-5). The condition was brought
on because "No one calls for justice, Nor does any plead for truth. They trust
in empty words and speak lies" (Isa 59:4).
In Isaiah's text, the people were not even in quest of the truth, and truth is
withheld when it is not sought. In the Amos text it became extremely sparse. The
people actually settled for other gods -- false gods (Amos 8:14). There is a
sense in which those of the Western world are living in just such times.
However, all of this does not mean those who really want the Word will not be
able to find it. In direct answer to your question, there will never come a time
when the person who loves the truth and seeks it will not be able to find it.
That is what the thirty-third Psalm means: "Behold, the eye of the LORD is on
those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from
death, and to keep them alive in famine" (verses. 19-20).
There is a Kingdom secret that is not generally known, and is expounded very
little. The secret is this: the Lord's teaching is not found in answering our
questions. That does not mean He never provides answers. It does mean that is
not His focus. Paul summarized his personal quest as wanting to obtain the
excellence of the knowledge of Christ, gaining Christ, being found in Him with
the righteousness that comes from God, knowing Him, knowing the power of His
resurrection, participating in the fellowship of His sufferings, and being like
Him in His death (Phil 3:8-10). That is the effort that is guaranteed to be
blessed by God. It is to be the focus of our attention, with everything else
being made subordinate to it.
It is in this very area that God instructed suffering Job in His own matchless
ways. Job had been seeking for answers, although He never sinned in the process.
There were mysteries he wanted to understand -- chiefly why he had experienced
so much suffering for no reason that was apparent to him. The Lord challenged
him, "Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer
Me." He then asked him a series of questions that simply could be answered --
they were all mysteries (Job 38). The point is that God does not come to open up
all of the mysteries of life. There are simply too many of them. Further, such
things tend to diminish a quest for the Lord Himself. Rather, He desires for men
to have an understanding of Him, which is the greatest of all knowledge (Jer
9:23-24).
It is in the realization of these benefits that questions that trouble us will
be answered in a satisfying way. Divine direction is also realized when we are
in hot pursuit of these things. No one so engaged will be disappointed. Jesus
put it this way. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to
him who knocks it will be opened" (Matt 7:8). That is a guarantee, even in a
time when there is a famine of hearing the Word of God.
I
am having trouble teaching that when we die we our souls go to be with God. Some
believe we are asleep until God raises our bodies. I Thess. 4 indicates when
Jesus comes back he'll bring them back w/ him the souls. Could you please give
me some scriptures and help on teaching this subject.
It is our bodies that sleep in death, not our
souls. That is the point of First Corinthians 15:51 and First Thessalonians
5:6-7. Those who believe the whole person sleeps in the grave until the
resurrection of the dead get their theology from Solomon, who knew little or
nothing about eternity. The word of God declares that the Gospel brings life and
immortality to light, not the writings of Solomon and Job (2 Tim 1:10).
Jesus said the person who lived and believed in Him would "never die" (John
11:26). He did not mean the person would never die in the ordinary sense of the
word, for the preceding verse says, "He who believes in Me, though he may die,
he shall live." What Jesus means in verse 26 is that eternal life (which is
knowing God, John 17:3) is not interrupted when we die. Our unseen part lives on
with the Lord Jesus. Paul once said he preferred death to life (Phil 1:23-24).
If our whole person falls asleep when we die, then Paul was looking forward to
the interruption of his fellowship with Christ. That is nothing but a very
ignorant view.
When Jesus was transfigured, both Moses and Elijah came back to speak with Him.
Luke tells us they spoke with Christ about the decease, or death, THEY spoke
with Him about His death, and not He to them. The interesting thing about this
is that neither Moses nor Elijah ever spoke or wrote about the death of Christ.
Moses only gave one prophecy about Christ, and it was not attended with much
clarity (Deut 18:15,18). We have no record of Elijah ever saying anything about
the Messiah. How, then, were they able to speak with Jesus on this matter?
Simply put, they had learned some things AFTER they left this world. They were
NOT asleep.
A similar observation can be made concerning Abraham, cited by Jesus in the
account of Lazarus and a certain rich man. After drying, you may recall, the
rich man engaged in some conversation with Abraham. After Abraham rejected his
request for Lazarus to dip his finger in water and touch his tongue, the rich
man asked for something else. He wanted Lazarus to be sent back to his brothers,
to warn them of the awful place in which he now found himself. Abraham replied,
"They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them" (Luke 16:29). How did
Abraham know that? He lived over five hundred years before Moses, and a thousand
years before many of the prophets? See, he had also learned some things after he
died. He was not asleep.
Death is a separation -- a separation of the unseen part of man from the body.
The body sleeps -- not in the ordinary sense of the word, but in the sense of
being scheduled for resurrection. Believers then go to be "present with the
Lord," and the wicked are consigned to a place of punishment, like the angels
who sinned (Jude 6). When Jesus comes again, He will raise all the bodies from
the graves (John 5:28-29). The spirits of those with Him will be brought back to
inhabit their new bodies. The abode of the dead (Hades) will yield up the dead
in them (Rev 20:13), and new bodies will given to the damned as well (John
5:29).
When
we die we go to Hades, Right?
The word of God speaks in a general way about this
subject, not with meticulous details. It is categorically stated that when
believers are "absent from the body," they are "present with the Lord" (2 Cor
5:8). We do not know all that is entailed in being "present with the Lord." It
will not be in the fullest sense until we see Him in all of His glory -- which
sight will transform us into His likeness (1 John 3:1-2).
The book of Revelation contains a reference to those who were beheaded for the
cause of Christ. They are said to be "under the altar" (Rev 6:9). That is in the
same area where Jesus resides, yet not in the fulness that will be experience
following the resurrection of the dead.
The subject of Hades is not expounded in Scripture, only mentioned briefly. The
location of Hades is never a point in Scripture, only its reality. It is
temporary, for it will finally be thrown into the lake of fire (Rev 20:13-14).
Christ's account of Lazarus and the rich man gives us some insight into this
realm also. It does not contradict being "present with the Lord," but confirms
we do not receive the fulness of our inheritance upon death. That fulness will
be experienced only when the Lord comes again (1 Pet 1:4-5).
When
Jesus comes back we then go to the Judgment day, Right? If this is correct
wouldn't we already know by being on one side of the chasm or the other, as to
which place we end up (Heaven or Hell) so why the judgment. And we will be judge
on matters that we have failed to ask forgiveness for, Right?
First, the purpose of the judgment is NOT to
determine who is saved and who is lost. That is determined in this world. In the
judgment God is vindicated, or proved to be true, and every man a liar (Rom
3:4). The rich man in hell will be no more damned when he stands before the
judgment seat than he was before. However, God will be publicly shown to be true
and righteous before an assembled universe -- even in the condemning of the rich
man.
The day of judgment is also a time when rewards and differing degrees of
punishment will be meted out. Jesus spoke of different people and cities rising
up in the judgment and condemning those who had more opportunities then them,
yet did not do anything with them (Matt 12:41-42). It is also a time when the
saints will judge the world and angels, showing how competent salvation made
them (1 Cor 6:2-3).
As to whether we will be judged on matters for which we never asked forgiveness,
that is an untaught question. First, the question assumes we know all of our
sins, and that condition cannot be established by Scripture or conscience. We
will give an account for all of our words, our deeds, and our stewardship. That
fact is not intended to produce cringing fear in us, but to motivate us to live
by faith and walk in the Spirit. That is what will prepare us for that day.
Rest assured, the Lord is not looking for some technical point on which to
condemn us. If He was, there would be no hope for any of us.
I suggest that it is not a wise course of action to try and explain everything
that happens when we die. You already know that it raises a lot of questions.
The emphasis of Scripture is on preparing for death by availing ourselves of the
salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory (1 Tim 2:10). Those who are
believing are to be reminded they will be present with the Lord when they are
absent from the body. They are to be told the coming of the Lord will mean their
transformation into His likeness, the end of all difficulties, and the fulness
of all blessings. If people are not living by faith, it is wholly inappropriate
to introduce them to speculations about what happens after death. What they must
know is that nothing good will be experienced after death for anyone who is not
believing.
Does God hear the
prays of the unsaved? and, When does God hear the
prayer of the unsaved, so that they can be
saved?
The answer is not as simplistic, as one might suppose.
1. Cain, who was not only unsaved, but was "of the wicked one" (1 John 3:12),
spoke with God, and God responded, outlining the miserable life that awaited him
(Gen 4:13-14).
2. Hagar, who is never said to have been in right relation to God, prayed to
God, and God spoke to her (Gen 16:7-13).
3. Abimilech, heathen king of Gerar talked to God, and God answered him,
instructing him what to do (Gen 20:2-7).
4. Manasseh, the most wicked king Judah ever had, prayed to God in his
affliction, was heard, and his kingdom restored to him (2 Chron 33:13).
5. A Syrophonecian woman who was an unsaved Gentile, besought Jesus for her
daughter, persisted in her request, and received it (Matt 15:22-28).
6. A Gentile Centurion made a request of Jesus, and exhibited such faith Jesus
said He had not seen that kind of faith in all of Israel (Matt 8:5-10).
7. Cornelius, who needed to be told words whereby he could be saved, prayed
before he was given such words, and his prayers were honored by God (Acts
10:1-4).
The blind man who was healed by Jesus told his critics, "Now we know that God
does not hear sinners" (John 9:31). He was speaking in view of numerous
references that stated God refused to hear the prayers of those whose hearts
were corrupt, and whose motives were impure (Deut 1:45; 3:26; 2 Sam 22:42; Psa
18:41; 66:18: Prov 1:24; Isa 1:15; Isa 59:2).
God hears prayers when they come from a humble and contrite heart -- even if
they come from people like wicked Manasseh, who repented of his evil ways. When
it comes to the matter of being saved, however, we are not saved by praying, but
through hearing and believing the Gospel of Christ. That is why, when Cornelius'
prayers were recognized by God, He sent him to Peter, who told him "words" by
which he could be saved (Acts 11:14). It is fashionable for people to be told to
pray and ask Jesus into their heart, but no such procedure is ever prescribed in
Scripture. When a jailor asked Paul and Silas what he should do to be saved,
they did not say he should pray, or repeat the mythical "sinner's prayer" after
them. Instead, they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be
saved, you and your household." Then they preached Christ to him, he believed,
and was baptized into Christ the same hour of the night (Acts 16:31-334). We
have no record that he ever prayed.
What
does the Father want from me? I don't want any work I've done to burn in the day
of judgment. I don't know of anything I have done in
the likeness of the work you explained in this message. My sister became a
Christian, but she has not followed through as far as I know. What does God want
me to do now?
In a nutshell, the Lord wants you to keep what He
has given you. Jesus said "Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your
crown" (Rev 3:11).
That is done by living by faith and walking in the Spirit -- keeping in close
proximity to the Lord, where you are sensitive to Him. All of this has to do
with living within hearing distance of the Lord, and avoiding getting too close
to the world. As you do this, the Lord will direct your path. As to the details
of that path, they will become apparent to you as you trust in Him. it is really
just that simple. The Psalmist put it this way, "Delight yourself also in the
LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart" (Psa 37:4). You can spend
your time trying to figure out what God wants you to do, or you can develop a
delight in the Lord Himself. In the latter case, your will find satisfaction.
The absolute rarity of this emphasis among the churches accounts for most of
their problems.
So far as spreading the Word of God, you do that out of a persuasion of the
truth and benefits of the Gospel. When it comes to people you have influenced
for Christ, you do exactly what men in Scripture did. You tell them you do not
want your labor to be in vain, and admonish them to move on in the faith. You
pray for them like Paul did, then cast your burden upon the Lord.
In
regard to husband and wife responsibilities: If one partner is a believer who is
intensely drawn to the things of the Lord and desires to be obedient to Him, and
the other partner is a believer but more drawn to the things of the world and
riches, what would God desire for the first spouse to do? Is it better to stay
in a marriage, to keep the family in tact, no matter what, even when Godly
principles are compromised?
First, every child of God is to take the same
attitude toward a believer that God takes -- whether the believer is "weak" or
"strong" in the faith. Jesus will not break a bruised reed, or quench a smoking
flax (Isa 42:3; Matt 12:20). That applies to husbands and wives as well as
anyone else. I understand it is not always easy to determine whether a person
believes or not -- and a believer is a person who IS believing. If a person has
not denied the faith, we should not consider the case hopeless.
In the particular matter of husbands and wives, and where the issue involves one
pressing toward he Lord and the other not, the emphasis is being peaceable. God
deals with the marriage of a believer and unbeliever, allowing for the departure
of the unbeliever if they cannot dwell together in peace (1 Cor 7:15-16). He
reminds us we have been called to peace. That whole scenario presumes the
believer is living unto the Lord, never compromising their faith, or displeasing
God in order to please their spouse. Nothing must be allowed to rupture one's
relationship to the Lord. Also, in that relationship, it is possible the Lord
will resolve the difficulties between the spouses. To assist us in thinking
soundly about the possibilities of living for God in a challenging environment,
we can remember Joseph in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon.
If one spouse has a love for money (and that is something a person does not want
to assume about someone else), that does not effect the spouse who is trusting
the Lord. In Scripture, Joanna was the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward. I assume
he was a man of means, but nothing indicates he was remotely interested in
Jesus. However, Joanna was, and regularly ministered to Jesus out of her
substance (Luke 8:3). I do not know all of the ramifications of that account,
but it seems to me Joanna must have been a wise wife, who depended upon the
Lord. That is the same way you must approach your own situation.
In
Genesis 15:13 the Lord tells Abraham that his people will be in captivity for
400 years. In Exodus 12:40-41 it speaks of 430 years
This passage has been much disputed among Bible
students, and has been the occasion for various challenges from skeptics and
doubters. The matter is not simplistic, but can be comprehended.
First, the word to Abraham was a general word. The word "afflict" not only
applied to the harsh bondage the Israelites experienced, but to the
city-building they did, and the fact they were not in their own land. It also
included the persecution of Isaac by Ishmael, who was the son of an Egyptian.
The harsh affliction did not last 400 years, but began only after a Pharaoh
arose who did not know Joseph (Ex 1:8; Acts 7:18). Further, it was not until
after Joseph was thirty years of age that his brothers and father came to dwell
with him in Egypt. The whole group comprised seventy souls (Gen 46:27) well
over 200 years after the original promise to Abraham. Thus, the mentioning of
the four hundred and four hundred and thirty years, however, did not begin with
that group coming into Canaan.
In Genesis, the four hundred years begins after Isaac was born, Ishmael mocked
him, and Ishmael and Hagar cast out of the home which was thirty years after
the original promise (Gen 12:3). First, the people were strangers in the land
that was not theirs for 190 years. Then they were servants in Egypt for 210
years. The first of that period they were favored, in the later period they were
severely persecuted.
In Galatians Paul clarifies the period in question by tracing the "four hundred
and thirty years" from the promise given to Abraham, to the giving of the law,
which occurred shortly after Israel's deliverance from Egypt (Gal 3:17). That is
the same period mentioned in Exodus 12:40. It included Abraham sojourning in the
land (Gen 12:5). The dwelling of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in Canaan is also
mentioned in Hebrews 11:9.
Briefly stated, therefore, the 430 years marks the period from the promise God
made to Abraham in Genesis 12:3. The 400 years marks it from Isaac.
Brother Given. I see a gospel that is full of the evidence of Jesus the physician yet many argue for medicine. I see this as abominable and as returning to Egypt. How can we overlook or neglect such a testimony? . . . I seek to grow up in the faith that the Father might impart unto me full sonship. That I might be able to lay hands on the sick, prophecy, tell of the wonders of the Father and no longer have a will that is of my flesh.
I do not know why you are choosing to raise
issues the Lord and inspired men did not raise. But I am disappointed that such
is the case. I will say a few words about your remarks, but will not dwell on
such things. The discussion of them brings no lasting profit to the children of
God.
Paul referred to Luke as "the beloved physician" (Col 4:14). If physicians were
themselves sinful, that would be like saying "beloved thief."
Jesus would never have said "They that be whole need not a physician, but they
that are sick" (Matt 9:12), if physicians were unlawful. That would be like
saying that a drunk has need of drink.
The good Samaritan attended to a wounded man by pouring "oil and wine" into his
wounds and "caring" for him (Lk 10:34). Our Lord did not give the slightest
indication such an action was going down to Egypt for help, or that it indicated
a lack of faith. In fact, the man was commended, not condemned. If you choose to
believe the use of medicine is a renunciation of trusting God, that is your
business. However it cannot be supported by God's Word, and I will have no part
of such a view.
Paul indicated that Timothy suffered from frequent illnesses, or "oft
infirmities." He told him to "No longer drink water exclusively, but use a
little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments" (1 Tim
5:23, NASB). He did not think as you do on this matter.
When Hezekiah was dying of a grievous boil, Isaiah said, "Let them take a lump
of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover" and he
did (Isa 38:21). I understand the Lord worked through that poultice of figs, but
that is the whole point. The Lord used a means that you are suggesting is not
allowed.
God never refers to sinful conduct as an example of what He can do among His
people. In describing His people, God compares their spiritual condition, and
His work with them, with certain aspects of life in this world. Passages using
such parallels, and referring to medicines, include Isaiah 1:65, Jeremiah 8:22;
30:13; 46:11; 51:8; Ezekiel 47:12. Solomon also said, "A merry heart doeth good
like a medicine" (Prov 17:22). None of these suggest medicine takes the place of
God, is to be the object of our faith, or is to be our first resort. All of
these references, however, suggest the legitimacy of medicine, else the language
has no meaning. If medicine is of itself sinful as you suggest, then comparing
the healing of the soul to the use of medicine would be like comparing the
working of God to idols, fornication, or witchcraft.
This is a theological bypath. There is not a word in Scripture that suggests
medicine is itself unlawful. No person was ever admonished to stay away from
medicine, nor was anyone condemned for using it. There are no warnings against
it. The only time God judged people in this regard is when they sought to
physicians and ignored Him, as in the case of Asa (2 Chron 16:12). Neither
Moses, the Prophets, John the Baptist, Jesus, nor the Apostles tell people to
stop using medicine. I understand that trusting in medicine is not right,
anymore than trusting in horses and chariots is right. However, the fact that
men are not to trust in horses and chariots does not suggest it is sinful to
ride on a horse, and be carried in a chariot (Psa 20:7).
I am glad you are seeking to grow, but growth is not evidenced by being able to
lay your hands on the sick, and they recover. If you are suggesting that our
Lord's words in Mark 16:18 mean we are to seek to do that, then you are simply
wrong. The Holy Spirit brought the words of Jesus to the Apostles' memory (John
14:26). They, in turn, passed those words along to the brethren. None of them
ever suggested early believers were somehow inferior, or had not grown, because
they did not lay hands on the sick and they recover. None of them ever took
those words of Jesus and bound them upon others. The reason why they did not is
because that is something God and Christ do in the saints. You may seek to do
it, and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. I suggest, however, that it
is not wise to boast of Christ teaching you about this until you actually do it.
Of course, God has spoken about gifts with remarkable clarity. "Even so ye,
forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the
edifying of the church" (1 Cor 14:12). When telling the church to "covet
earnestly the best gifts," the Spirit added there was "a more excellent way" (1
Cor 12:31). The 13th chapter of First Corinthians outlines that way. It would be
good for you to seek that more excellent way. Then, you will be in a position
for God to bless you in special ways.
As to testing you in this matter, I have no desire to do so. Nor, indeed, will I
engage in arguments about things like this. They are unprofitable, because they
do not focus on Christ. Instead, they pit brother against brother, and I will
have no part of it.
About holding grudges or sulking, I will not even dignify that with a response.
It is unbecoming of you to suggest such a thing, and nothing could be further
from the truth. Concerning seeking spiritual gifts, I will work with the ones
the Lord has given me. I know what they are and will not reproach the Lord by
ignoring them, or failing to stir them up. In the meantime, I can say with Paul,
"But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of
man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self" (1 Cor 4:3). Embrace what you
will. I condemn you not. But I will not embrace the view you are advocating.
WHY DO YOU THINK THE
ONE AND ONLY NAME ON THIS EARTH PEOPLE TAKE IN VAIN IS JESUS CHRIST? You never
hear your name or anyone's else's name taken in vain.
It is because His is the ONLY name by which men are saved (Acts 4:12). People
really do not realize what they are doing when they blurt His name out in all
manner of curses and oaths. This is something prompted by the devil. If he can
get people to disrespect the name of the Lord, they will be less apt to hear the
Gospel about him. That is Satan's strategy -- first, make the name of Jesus mean
little or nothing to the person, then the Gospel about Him will be unimportant
to them. All of this is done without the individual really knowing what is
happening. Such a person has been deceived by the devil.
Someone
was telling me we don't need to ask for forgiveness for anything after
salvation, that is a slap in the face to Jesus to do so since we've been
forgiven past, present & future sins. Says we should confess, yet do not need to
be specific about our sins.
First, there is a slight tint of truth in the
position you mention. The believing person who sins must believe God is "ready
to forgive" (Psalm 86:5). Once sin has been confessed, the burden of it must not
be carried about as though the person was still guilty, and remained unforgiven.
However, that is quite different from the suggestion "someone" offered to you.
This kind of teaching is a lot of nonsense, and confuses the people of God.
First, if this foolish doctrine was true, what is the purpose of coming to Jesus
for forgiveness in the first place. Why did Jesus Himself ask God to "forgive"
some of the very people for whom He was dying -- when He was dying (Luke 23:34).
The very text that admonishes believers to "confess" their sins declares God
WILL forgive them because we confessed their sins -- NOT that He had already
forgiven them. "If we confess our sins, He IS faithful and just to forgive us
our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
There are two sides to the forgiveness of sins. First, there must be a basis for
forgiveness, or a reason why God forgives us. This is necessary because God
cannot simple overlook sin. He is righteous, and forgiveness must be right.
Christ taking away our sins makes it right for God to forgive us. The Bible says
it this way. "that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith
in Jesus" (Romans 3:26). That is side one.
Side two is the receiving of that forgiveness. By faith it is received, and our
conscience is "purged from dead works," or the guilt caused by sin (Hebrews
9:14). A person who is forgiven has both sides of the coin of forgiveness. God
has not simply forgiven sin "past, present, and future," as the person to whom
you alluded suggested. That is theological jargon, and is not how Scripture
states the case. We are not forgiven in advance, and nothing in all of the word
of God suggests such a thing. In one single act, all of our past is forgiven. It
is the basis, foundation, or reason for forgiveness that remains. If we sin, we
appeal to God for that forgiveness, asking that He fulfill what He has promised.
But there is not a syllable in Scripture that suggests forgiveness takes place
before the sin is committed.
The fact that we "ask" for forgiveness indicates that we believe, not that we do
not believe. It does not reproach Christ's death, but honors it. That, of
course, is precisely what faith does -- it asks God to do what He has promised,
persuaded He is able to do so. That brings honor to God. But to treat personal
sin as though it was forgiven in advance, and required no asking, is foolish.
I cannot conceive of a person who has sinned not being forward to ask the Lord
to forgive him like David asked: "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and
cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is
always before me" (Psalm 51:2-3). One might argue that Jesus was the Lamb "slain
from the foundation of the world" (Rev 13:8), or "was foreordained before the
foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you" (1 Pet
1:20). Therefore, all David had to do was confess his sin, for God had already
determined Jesus would take it away. David, of course, would rebuke such a
foolish notion. His sin hurt him, defiled his conscience, and caused him shame
before the Lord. He was not hesitant to ask the Lord to cleanse him. Neither
will any one in our day, who is convicted of sin.
Throw that bit of teaching in the theological garbage can. It is not true. That
is why you had trouble receiving it.
This
man tried to back this up by pointing out that Jesus referred to himself as the
Son of Man 80 times in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. However, he
only referred to himself as the Son of God only 7 times (some of them were
responses to those who asked Are you the Son of God ?). Why did he so often
refer to himself as the Son of Man instead of the Son of God ?
Jesus was both Divine and human -- Son of God and
Son of Man. He was Divine in that He had no earthly Father, and He came from
eternity (Micah 5:2), in which He was "in the form of God" (Phil 2:6) and "was
God" (John 1:1). He is "Son of Man" because He also was the offspring of the
human race -- "made of a woman and made under the Law" (Gal 4:4).
In the matter of salvation, it is the humanity of Christ that saves us -- His
identity with our race as a Person. The Bible makes much of this. Jesus did not
come in the form of an angel, for example, because He was not sent to save
angels. He had to become like the ones He was to save (Heb 2:9-17). As a Man,
Jesus suffered, was tempted, died, was buried, and was raised again. Those are
the accomplishments that are connected with our salvation from sin. He even
overcome and defeated the devil as a Man, doing so in His death (Heb 2:14).
Jesus referred to Himself as "the Son of Man" to accent His Saviorhood. He was
pointing to Himself as the chief, or primary, Man. He did not say He was "A Son
of Man," but "THE Son of Man." So far as God is concerned, Jesus is the main Man
-- more than that, the ONLY man. The Bible refers to Him as "the Second Man" (1
Cor 15:47), and the "Last Adam" (1 Cor 15;45). By that, the Spirit means Jesus
is the Second KIND of man -- like a new race of man. By "Last Adam," He means
Jesus brought an end to the curse incurred by Adam. He did this by beginning a
new order of humanity. That new order is made up of people who are born again.
The saved person is called a "new man" (Eph 2:15; 4:24; Col 2:10). That is true
because they have come from Jesus, who "THE Son of Man."
The title "THE Son of Man" also refers to Jesus being the ONE person who was
foretold by the Prophets -- One who would save the people from their sins and
deliver them from servitude to Satan. An example of such a prophecy is Isaiah
9:6-7.
2nd
question from my Muslim friend. Luke 18:18: And a certain ruler
asked him saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life:
Luke 18:19 And Jesus said unto him: Why callest thou me good ?? None is
good, save one, that is, God ? Why did Jesus say to the man that he
wasn't good ?
Jesus replied according to the man's perception.
Like your Muslim friend, the rich young ruler did not see Jesus as the Son of
God, or the Savior of the world. He simply saw Him as a good teacher (which is
the meaning of "Master"). The Lord was showing the man that if He was not
Divine, He could not be good. If Jesus was not who He said He was, He could not
possibly have been "good." That being the case, He would have been a liar and an
impostor. Jesus did not say, and did not mean, He Himself was not "good," for He
referred to Himself as "the GOOD Shepherd" (John 10:11,14). If the rich man had
seen Jesus as He really was, he would have replied "But you are good, Master,
for you have come from God." But he did not see Jesus right. that is why our
Lord responded as He did.
Do
you agree that absolute truth is God and if so, what does that mean to you ?
The answer is not simplistic, as you have
obviously concluded. One of the great difficulties with systematic theology is
that it has to eventually depart from Scriptural nomenclature, and that causes
all manner of confusion.
First, the word truth does mean reality. That being the case, in a philosophical
sense, we can say God is the "ultimate reality." I suppose that would equate
with "absolute truth," whatever that means. All of that philosophical jargon
suggests there may be truth that is not "absolute," or "verity," or "reality."
The difficulty is that Scripture never suggests such a thing. Absoluteness,
unchangeableness, and consistency are inherent in the word "truth," whether a
portion or the whole of it.
Strictly speaking, "truth" is a body of reality -- things as they really are. It
is the opposite of the lie and delusion, which are fostered by the devil.
God declared Himself to be "abundant" in truth (Ex 34:6). By that, He meant He
is inclined to open up, or reveal, all things as they really are, including
Himself, His purpose, covenant, Son, etc. He is also "a God of truth," never
misrepresenting, exaggerating, or distorting anything.
When Jesus said "I am the Truth," He meant He was the embodiment of things
pertaining to God and His salvation. That is why He added, "No man cometh to the
Father but by me." No person can really know God apart from Christ, and God will
show the reality of things to men through Jesus alone. The expression of Jesus
in John 14:6 could well read "Way TO God, "Truth OF God, and Life OF God."
Your statement that you "wasn't sure whether any of us would come to realize
totally what it was this side of heaven," is correct from any point of view.
Whether it is God Himself, the Lord Jesus, the great salvation, what is to come,
etc. we only "know in part" (1 Cor 13:9,12).
Technically speaking, truth is not what WE know, or the information WE have
about something. Truth is that body of reality concerning which we "know in
part." All of that body of reality (truth) is absolute and unchanging, even as
God Himself -- whether it is 'the part" we know, or the vast portion we do not
yet know.
What
causes or makes someone have a tender heart, a contrite heart - is it not first
the work of the Holy Spirit otherwise I would not be able to know that I needed
to be humble and contrite. I would appreciate your thoughts and Scriptures about
this.
In Scripture, the cause of a tender or contrite
heart is not the issue, but the possession of one. There is a reason for this.
First, the Lord apprises us that He has a high regard for such qualities (Psa
34:18; 51:17; Isa 57:15; 66:2). If the individual has this sensitivity toward
the Lord, these expressions assure the Lord will not turn him away. Should the
person conclude they do not have such a heart, yet long for one, they will pray
like David, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within
me" (Psa 51:10). Of course, in the latter case, the very petition reveals the
kind of heart in which the Lord delights is actually possessed.
If we choose to speculate about the cause of a tender heart or contrite heart,
there are several considerations. First, we do know the Lord can turn hearts (Prov
21:1), put a thing into the heart (1 Kgs 10:24), take out a stony heart, and
give a heart of flesh (Ezek 11:19; 36:26), open the heart (Acts 16:14), and even
harden hearts and make them obstinate (Ex 4;21; Deut 2:30). The difficulty comes
when men conclude this is all done arbitrarily.
God has revealed He does nothing without a cause (Ezek 14:23). To put it another
way, He always uses means to accomplish His purposes. When dealing with matters
of the heart, the Lord especially uses the Gospel of Christ, which is His
appointed "power unto salvation" (Rom 1:16). Ultimately, a tender and contrite
heart is traced back to exposure to the Gospel of Christ. That is the means used
by God to create sensitivity to Himself in the individual. More precisely,
belief of the Gospel ("unto every one that believes") is what initiates the work
of the Lord.
Regarding the Holy Spirit's role in this, that is what is involved in Him
convincing men of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11). The areas of
conviction all relate to the Gospel. Sin = "believe not on me." Righteousness =
"because I go unto the Father." Judgment = "because the prince of this world is
judged." When men have been convinced in those areas, they will have a tender
and contrite heart. Note, it comes through convincing, or, as the KJV reads,
reproving. The Spirit shows the individual he has not been trusting in or
believing on Jesus, is fundamentally unrighteous, and is serving a defeated foe.
Through that means, the heart becomes tender and contrite.
In
the N.I.V. Jesus is quoted as saying to make disciples of all nations. It the
King James there is no mention of this. This makes a problem for me. Also
sometimes Matthew 28: 16-20 is referred to as " The Great Commission". I believe
this was just for the disciples that Jesus appointed and not transferred on, and
that the disciples did take the message to what was then known as the world,
therefore doing what Jesus commanded them to do.
The words "teach all nations" mean the same think
as "make disciples." A disciple is a learner, or student. I personally prefer
the "teach," but good teaching will produce "disciples."
The church has overextended itself in the "great commission mentality." That
commission is actually viewed as a means of beefing up the organization. It
apparently has never dawned on those who do this that no church in Scripture was
ever told to fulfill the "great commission." In fact, there is not a solitary
reference to it in an y Epistle.
Early believers spread the Gospel without being told. You may recall that when
the early church was scattered abroad, they "went everywhere preaching the word"
(Acts 8:4). Acts 8;1 tells us, however, that the Apostles were NOT the ones
scattered, and thus were not the ones doing the preaching in verse four. Thus,
non-Apostles were fulfilling Christ's word.
Christ's words in Matthew 28 were not merely for the disciples, for He told them
to teach the people to "observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you"
(verse 20). That would include what He was telling them. He did not mean every
person was to go into all the world. Rather, the world was the field, and each
person was to do their part, which part was assigned by Himself.
The disciples, as well as multitudes of others who went with them, did go
throughout the whole world. Their preaching was so extensive that a little past
the middle of the first century the Spirit testified the Gospel had been
"preached to every creature which is under heaven" (Col 1:23). In that preaching
we know of countless people who were not among the disciples to whom Jesus spoke
in Matthews 28. A few of them include Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Luke, Timothy,
Titus, Jude, Epaphroditus, Epaphras, Rufus, Apollos etc. The book of Acts has
countless lists of people who accompanied Paul in his preaching, and those he
sent to the churches to strengthen them. Numerous laborers are also mentioned in
the Epistles, with over twenty-eight being mentioned in the sixteenth chapter of
Romans alone.
"How
do we know that Satan was one of God's lead angels, much less used to be an
angel at all?"
The Bible does not say Satan was the highest
angel. It does suggest he was in some lofty position, and was very influential.
The passages from which these conclusions are taken are as follows. Isaiah
14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:12-18, and Revelation 12:3-4. The Isaiah and Ezekiel
passages are addressed to earthly rulers. The references to Satan's prior
existence is mentioned because those rulers had come to possess Satan's
qualities themselves.
Revelation 9:11 refers to Satan as the "angel of the bottomless pit." We know he
is over a vast array of personalities called "angels" (Rev 12:9; Matt 25:41).
They are also called "the power of the air" (Eph 2:1-2), "principalities,
powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in
high places" (Eph 6:12). Both Peter and Jude refer to these hosts as fallen
spirits who had a former habitation, or area of heavenly influence (2 Pet 2:4;
Jude 1:6).
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