ENGLISH ONLY EDITION. Light is sown like seed for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Psalm 97:11
Showing posts with label Biblical Qs and As. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Biblical Qs and As. Show all posts
Monday, March 21, 2022
Monday, February 29, 2016
Eternal Security for Tribulation ? - Qs and As
Q.
You have stated that you feel the post rapture believers will be on
their own when it comes to staying faithful to their belief in Christ as
their Lord and Savior. In Revelation (7: 1-9) it says that the Angel of
God will put a seal on the foreheads of the “servants of God”. It goes
on to show that the 144,000 from the 12 tribes (Jews) were at least part
of this group, but then it moves right into discussing the “multitude”
in white robes that were “serving God and The Lamb” day and night.
I believe the multitude are the tribulation Saints and that they are being included in the group that were sealed on their foreheads by the Angel of God, identifying them as “servants of God”. Also, I don’t think the gentile Christians during this period would be left to suffer the stings of these demonic creatures of Rev. 9 so they must have the seal. In summary; I believe that the tribulation believers will not be able to lose their salvation. Do you disagree with this?
I believe the multitude are the tribulation Saints and that they are being included in the group that were sealed on their foreheads by the Angel of God, identifying them as “servants of God”. Also, I don’t think the gentile Christians during this period would be left to suffer the stings of these demonic creatures of Rev. 9 so they must have the seal. In summary; I believe that the tribulation believers will not be able to lose their salvation. Do you disagree with this?
A. Rev. 7:1-3
shows the four winds being held back by four angels. Then another angel
with the seal of God comes forward, telling them not to harm the land
or sea until he puts the seal on the foreheads of the servants of God. Rev. 7:4 says the number of those who are sealed is 144,000 and then Rev. 7:5-8
lists 12,000 from each of 12 tribes of Israel. From this I conclude
that the 144,000 are the only ones sealed. This all happens on Earth.
After that John sees the multitude, but they are before the throne of God (Rev. 7:11). That’s in Heaven, and the elder tells John they’ve come out of the Great Tribulation. The Greek word translated “come out of” applies to both location and time. In essence it means they will have been martyred and come to heaven before the Great Tribulation begins. They and the 144,000 are not part of the same group. In the first place the 144,000 are all Jews. The martyrs are from every nation, tribe, people and language.
Your concern for Tribulation believers is commendable but I don’t think it’s consistent with Scripture. Both Rev. 14:12 and Rev. 16:15 indicate Tribulation believers are responsible for remaining faithful. Matt. 25:1-13 confirms this. Eternal Security is a special blessing given only to the Church.
After that John sees the multitude, but they are before the throne of God (Rev. 7:11). That’s in Heaven, and the elder tells John they’ve come out of the Great Tribulation. The Greek word translated “come out of” applies to both location and time. In essence it means they will have been martyred and come to heaven before the Great Tribulation begins. They and the 144,000 are not part of the same group. In the first place the 144,000 are all Jews. The martyrs are from every nation, tribe, people and language.
Your concern for Tribulation believers is commendable but I don’t think it’s consistent with Scripture. Both Rev. 14:12 and Rev. 16:15 indicate Tribulation believers are responsible for remaining faithful. Matt. 25:1-13 confirms this. Eternal Security is a special blessing given only to the Church.
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Responding To An Unbeliever - Bible Qs and As
Q.
I was discussing the meaning of Matthew 15:24 with a co-worker today
and he said that my Bible (the New King James Version) cannot possibly
be God’s Word because God didn’t write the Bible in English, that the
Hebrew vocabulary was so limited back in the day that the words didn’t
exist to say what the passage says, that it’s impossible to accurately
translate what may have been said into the proper context, and that
whatever oral stories may have been handed down, that they were
embellished along the way.
We then went onto the topic of Daniel 9:24-27. When I told him that the first 483 years were fulfilled to the day, he started on me about how they didn’t even have a Jewish calendar back when Daniel made the prophecy. They didn’t know what a year was.
He also said that dinosaurs and the Genesis account of creation are mutually exclusive, which is why we cannot take the Bible literally because science has already proven that dinosaurs existed. He also wanted to know how, if the theory of evolution is to be excluded, Noah could put billions of species of animals etc. on an ark that was only the size of a football field? Because, he says, we have billions of different kinds of species of living things and they would have all had to fit on that ark.
Will you please help me with these questions?
We then went onto the topic of Daniel 9:24-27. When I told him that the first 483 years were fulfilled to the day, he started on me about how they didn’t even have a Jewish calendar back when Daniel made the prophecy. They didn’t know what a year was.
He also said that dinosaurs and the Genesis account of creation are mutually exclusive, which is why we cannot take the Bible literally because science has already proven that dinosaurs existed. He also wanted to know how, if the theory of evolution is to be excluded, Noah could put billions of species of animals etc. on an ark that was only the size of a football field? Because, he says, we have billions of different kinds of species of living things and they would have all had to fit on that ark.
Will you please help me with these questions?
A.
I assume you’re not asking me this because you think there may be some
truth to what this person is saying. The fact is, there are no rational
responses to these opinions because they aren’t based in fact. They are
fabrications that your friend has chosen to believe to avoid the truth.
Even though with a little research you can easily expose them as being
ridiculous, it won’t change anything.
For instance, the existence of complex written languages in the time before the flood has been verified. And a copy of the Book of Isaiah was found among the Dead Sea scrolls. It was 900 years older than the oldest copy previously discovered, and yet varied by only a few words, none of which altered the book’s meaning. A few minutes of legitimate research on line will confirm that your Bible’s consistency with original texts exceeds every other ancient text and is beyond question.
The Old and New Testaments are the most thoroughly documented and verified works in existence. Daniel’s prophecy was authenticated by no less an authority than the London Royal Observatory over a century ago.
I don’t know of anyone who doubts the existence of Dinosaurs. A simple study that anyone can perform will show that the Ark was 450 feet long (1 1/2 times the length of a football field). At 75 feet wide each of the ark’s decks contained 33,750 square feet of floor space. Since the ark was 45 feet tall there was over 1.5 million cubic feet of space under its roof, equivalent to a train with 500 boxcars. According to zoological studies, of the 1.8 million (not billion) named species on Earth today, there are 1,000 species of amphibians, 6,000 reptiles, 9,000 birds, 15,000 species of mammals, and 20,000 of fish (who don’t count). The rest are insects. The average size of all the animals is equivalent to a sheep. Shippers load 250 sheep per boxcar. At 2 per specie the ark would easily have accommodated the number that would be required today, and in Noah’s day there were far fewer species.
But none of this information will do you any good, because had this person wanted the truth, he could have easily discovered it on his own. Instead He has chosen to believe a lie.
Remember, it’s not possible to debate or persuade or “sell” someone into the Kingdom. As Christians, we present the gospel, and then pray for those who hear it. Since only the Holy Spirit can convert someone, Anything more on our part is “casting our pearls before swine.”
For instance, the existence of complex written languages in the time before the flood has been verified. And a copy of the Book of Isaiah was found among the Dead Sea scrolls. It was 900 years older than the oldest copy previously discovered, and yet varied by only a few words, none of which altered the book’s meaning. A few minutes of legitimate research on line will confirm that your Bible’s consistency with original texts exceeds every other ancient text and is beyond question.
The Old and New Testaments are the most thoroughly documented and verified works in existence. Daniel’s prophecy was authenticated by no less an authority than the London Royal Observatory over a century ago.
I don’t know of anyone who doubts the existence of Dinosaurs. A simple study that anyone can perform will show that the Ark was 450 feet long (1 1/2 times the length of a football field). At 75 feet wide each of the ark’s decks contained 33,750 square feet of floor space. Since the ark was 45 feet tall there was over 1.5 million cubic feet of space under its roof, equivalent to a train with 500 boxcars. According to zoological studies, of the 1.8 million (not billion) named species on Earth today, there are 1,000 species of amphibians, 6,000 reptiles, 9,000 birds, 15,000 species of mammals, and 20,000 of fish (who don’t count). The rest are insects. The average size of all the animals is equivalent to a sheep. Shippers load 250 sheep per boxcar. At 2 per specie the ark would easily have accommodated the number that would be required today, and in Noah’s day there were far fewer species.
But none of this information will do you any good, because had this person wanted the truth, he could have easily discovered it on his own. Instead He has chosen to believe a lie.
Remember, it’s not possible to debate or persuade or “sell” someone into the Kingdom. As Christians, we present the gospel, and then pray for those who hear it. Since only the Holy Spirit can convert someone, Anything more on our part is “casting our pearls before swine.”
Saturday, February 6, 2016
He Led Captivity Captive
Q. Does anyone know what “led captivity captive” means in Eph 4:8 and Psalm 68? Is captivity all of Hell?
A. In Ephes. 4 Paul was recalling a tradition from ancient times that appears in Psalm 68
and that the Romans had elevated to an art form. When a Roman general
returned victorious from Battle he was given an honor called a tribute.
This involved passing before a reviewing stand where Caesar and the
royal court were seated. In a long parade the General, then his
victorious army, then the wagon loads of plunder and the kings and
nobles of the countries he had defeated, and finally all the slaves he’d
captured, bound and chained together. The conquering general was
leading his captives into captivity. Afterwards he would receive a
portion of the plunder as a reward.
Paul changed the meaning slightly in Ephes. 4:8 saying that at the cross when Jesus defeated His enemies He gave gifts to us instead of receiving them Himself. Then in verse 11 he went on to list five spiritual gifts He gave to the church.
At the End of the Age the Lord will lead Satan into captivity and receive the nations as His reward. The Hebrew of Psalm 68 can mean either give or receive so both interpretations are appropriate.
Paul changed the meaning slightly in Ephes. 4:8 saying that at the cross when Jesus defeated His enemies He gave gifts to us instead of receiving them Himself. Then in verse 11 he went on to list five spiritual gifts He gave to the church.
At the End of the Age the Lord will lead Satan into captivity and receive the nations as His reward. The Hebrew of Psalm 68 can mean either give or receive so both interpretations are appropriate.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Shake The Dust From Your Feet
Q.
In Matt. 10:14 Jesus told the disciples to ‘shake the dust from their
feet’ when they are leaving an unbelieving town. What did He mean by
that?
A. Shaking
the dust from their feet was the Lord’s way of saying, “Rid yourself of
any trace of them, as if the encounter never happened.”
Jesus was telling the disciples not to waste any time or energy on people who refused to listen to the Gospel. We can’t debate, persuade, argue, or coerce anyone into accepting God’s Word. They are either open to it or they’re not.
Arguing the point with people who disagree only hardens their own position and makes it more difficult for them to change their mind in the future.
Once we lay out the Gospel for someone we’ve done what the Lord has asked of us. If they are curious and want to know more, great. We should continue the discussion for as long as they like.
But if they aren’t interested, all the talk in the world won’t help. and it’s better for everyone if we don’t force the issue.
Remember, we’re called to confront people with the truth, but it’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convert them.
Jesus was telling the disciples not to waste any time or energy on people who refused to listen to the Gospel. We can’t debate, persuade, argue, or coerce anyone into accepting God’s Word. They are either open to it or they’re not.
Arguing the point with people who disagree only hardens their own position and makes it more difficult for them to change their mind in the future.
Once we lay out the Gospel for someone we’ve done what the Lord has asked of us. If they are curious and want to know more, great. We should continue the discussion for as long as they like.
But if they aren’t interested, all the talk in the world won’t help. and it’s better for everyone if we don’t force the issue.
Remember, we’re called to confront people with the truth, but it’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convert them.
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Believers And Followers Qs and As
Republished from gracethrufaith.com Th
Q.
Have you ever done a study on Luke 14:33 and the surrounding text when
Jesus was describing what it would take to be a true disciple? Was he
talking only to the crowd in front of him or is it applicable today? Is
he really asking us to give up everything or rather be willing to give
up everything?
A. The Lord’s instructions in Luke 14:25-35 are for the entire Church age. It’s a detailed explanation of what Paul later summarized in Romans 12: 1-2:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.
It’s important to remember that the issue here is not salvation, which is free for the asking. It’s what we do in response to the salvation we’ve received that both Jesus and Paul were explaining.
It’s currently popular in the Church to distinguish between mere believers and true followers of Christ. To be saved we must only believe. But then in gratitude for such a remarkable display of God’s mercy, we should be willing to present our whole beings to be used for His glory. After all, Jesus ransomed us from death with His own blood (1 Peter 1:18-19). Therefore, our life actually belongs to Him (1 Cor 6:19-20).
In Luke 14:33 Jesus said we can’t be His disciples unless we’re willing to give up everything we have. We have to abandon all of our worldly dreams and aspirations in order to serve Him as He desires. This doesn’t mean we’re choosing a life of deprivation. Nor does it mean we have to leave family and friends behind and spend our life doing missionary work in some far off land. It means following him won’t give us the life many of us learned to desire as children. But it will give us a life filled with satisfaction we could not have found in any other way. Remember, the Lord said, “I have come that they may have live, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.
It’s important to remember that the issue here is not salvation, which is free for the asking. It’s what we do in response to the salvation we’ve received that both Jesus and Paul were explaining.
It’s currently popular in the Church to distinguish between mere believers and true followers of Christ. To be saved we must only believe. But then in gratitude for such a remarkable display of God’s mercy, we should be willing to present our whole beings to be used for His glory. After all, Jesus ransomed us from death with His own blood (1 Peter 1:18-19). Therefore, our life actually belongs to Him (1 Cor 6:19-20).
In Luke 14:33 Jesus said we can’t be His disciples unless we’re willing to give up everything we have. We have to abandon all of our worldly dreams and aspirations in order to serve Him as He desires. This doesn’t mean we’re choosing a life of deprivation. Nor does it mean we have to leave family and friends behind and spend our life doing missionary work in some far off land. It means following him won’t give us the life many of us learned to desire as children. But it will give us a life filled with satisfaction we could not have found in any other way. Remember, the Lord said, “I have come that they may have live, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Question: "Spiritual strongholds - what is the biblical view?"
Republished from gotquestions.org
Answer: The word strongholds is found once in the New Testament, used metaphorically by Paul in a description of the Christian’s spiritual battle: “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses [strongholds]” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4, NASB). This passage reveals the following facts about our warfare:
1) Our battle is not planned according to the way this world fights; earthly stratagems are not our concern.
2) Our weapons are not physical, for our warfare is spiritual in nature. Rather than guns and tanks, our weapons are those of the “full armor of God” and consist of “the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:14-17).
3) Our power comes from God alone.
4) God’s plan is to demolish spiritual strongholds.
What are these “strongholds” or “fortifications” we face? In the very next verse, Paul interprets the metaphor: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). The “arguments” are the philosophies, reasonings, and schemes of the world. The “pretensions” have to do with anything proud, man-centered, and self-confident.
Here’s the picture: the Christian, wearing his spiritual armor and bearing his spiritual weapons, sets out to “conquer” the world for Christ, but he soon finds obstacles. The enemy has erected strongly fortified garrisons to resist the Truth and thwart God’s plan of redemption. There is the fortress of human reasoning, reinforced with many subtle arguments and the pretense of logic. There is the castle of passion, with flaming battlements defended by lust, pleasure, and greed. And there is the pinnacle of pride, in which the human heart sits enthroned and revels in thoughts of its own excellence and sufficiency.
The enemy is firmly entrenched; these strongholds have been guarded for thousands of years, presenting a great wall of resistance to the Truth. None of this deters the Christian warrior, however. Using the weapons of God’s choosing, he attacks the strongholds, and by the miraculous power of Christ, the walls are breached, and the bastions of sin and error are battered down. The victorious Christian enters the ruins and leads captive, as it were, every false theory and every human philosophy that had once proudly asserted its independence from God.
If this sounds a lot like Joshua fighting the battle of Jericho, you’re right. What a great illustration of spiritual truth that story is (Joshua 6)!
Sharing the gospel is not the only time we see resistance. We can also face demonic strongholds in our own lives, in our families, and even in our churches. Anyone who has fought an addiction, struggled with pride, or had to “flee youthful lusts” knows that sin, a lack of faith, and a worldly outlook on life are indeed “strongholds.”
The Lord is building His Church, and the “gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). What we need are Christian soldiers, totally surrendered to the will of the Lord of Hosts, who will use the spiritual weapons He provides. “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7).
Recommended Resources: Victory in Spiritual Warfare by Tony Evans and Logos Bible Software.
Answer: The word strongholds is found once in the New Testament, used metaphorically by Paul in a description of the Christian’s spiritual battle: “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses [strongholds]” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4, NASB). This passage reveals the following facts about our warfare:
1) Our battle is not planned according to the way this world fights; earthly stratagems are not our concern.
2) Our weapons are not physical, for our warfare is spiritual in nature. Rather than guns and tanks, our weapons are those of the “full armor of God” and consist of “the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:14-17).
3) Our power comes from God alone.
4) God’s plan is to demolish spiritual strongholds.
What are these “strongholds” or “fortifications” we face? In the very next verse, Paul interprets the metaphor: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). The “arguments” are the philosophies, reasonings, and schemes of the world. The “pretensions” have to do with anything proud, man-centered, and self-confident.
Here’s the picture: the Christian, wearing his spiritual armor and bearing his spiritual weapons, sets out to “conquer” the world for Christ, but he soon finds obstacles. The enemy has erected strongly fortified garrisons to resist the Truth and thwart God’s plan of redemption. There is the fortress of human reasoning, reinforced with many subtle arguments and the pretense of logic. There is the castle of passion, with flaming battlements defended by lust, pleasure, and greed. And there is the pinnacle of pride, in which the human heart sits enthroned and revels in thoughts of its own excellence and sufficiency.
The enemy is firmly entrenched; these strongholds have been guarded for thousands of years, presenting a great wall of resistance to the Truth. None of this deters the Christian warrior, however. Using the weapons of God’s choosing, he attacks the strongholds, and by the miraculous power of Christ, the walls are breached, and the bastions of sin and error are battered down. The victorious Christian enters the ruins and leads captive, as it were, every false theory and every human philosophy that had once proudly asserted its independence from God.
If this sounds a lot like Joshua fighting the battle of Jericho, you’re right. What a great illustration of spiritual truth that story is (Joshua 6)!
Sharing the gospel is not the only time we see resistance. We can also face demonic strongholds in our own lives, in our families, and even in our churches. Anyone who has fought an addiction, struggled with pride, or had to “flee youthful lusts” knows that sin, a lack of faith, and a worldly outlook on life are indeed “strongholds.”
The Lord is building His Church, and the “gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). What we need are Christian soldiers, totally surrendered to the will of the Lord of Hosts, who will use the spiritual weapons He provides. “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7).
Recommended Resources: Victory in Spiritual Warfare by Tony Evans and Logos Bible Software.
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Hearing the voice of the Lord
Q. In your recent post “Hearing The Voice Of The Lord”,
you referenced Elijah in 1 Kings 19:11-13, but Elijah was a prophet who
heard regularly from God. I am not sure that would apply to believers
in general. As far as you know, are there any instructions or similar
examples for us in the New Testament about God speaking to a believer’s
heart, other than to apostles, prophets, etc? And if so, how would we
know if an inner voice telling us something (like buy a new house,
confront this person, look for a new job, etc) is actually coming from
God, or merely us just having an idea and thinking about it?
A. You don’t need to search the Scriptures for examples of God talking to ordinary people. When you were born again, He put His Spirit in your heart (2 Cor. 1:21-22). One of the Holy Spirit’s functions is to be your teacher and counselor. Therefore He has to speak to you.
The reason I used Elijah as an example was to show how even he had to learn to listen for the still small voice of the Lord. It’s the same for everyone. You learn to hear His voice by learning to listen for it. The way you know if an inner voice is the Lord telling you something is through practice.
If you think you hear God telling you something, do what He says. He won’t tell you to do anything that’s contrary to His word so there’s really no risk. He will also begin with small things that are easy for you to do. As you do them, He will reward your faithfulness with bigger things. Soon you’ll have an ongoing conversation just like you do with your other friends.
A. You don’t need to search the Scriptures for examples of God talking to ordinary people. When you were born again, He put His Spirit in your heart (2 Cor. 1:21-22). One of the Holy Spirit’s functions is to be your teacher and counselor. Therefore He has to speak to you.
The reason I used Elijah as an example was to show how even he had to learn to listen for the still small voice of the Lord. It’s the same for everyone. You learn to hear His voice by learning to listen for it. The way you know if an inner voice is the Lord telling you something is through practice.
If you think you hear God telling you something, do what He says. He won’t tell you to do anything that’s contrary to His word so there’s really no risk. He will also begin with small things that are easy for you to do. As you do them, He will reward your faithfulness with bigger things. Soon you’ll have an ongoing conversation just like you do with your other friends.
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Where is Beth Moore´s husband?
You might be interested in reading this essay I wrote a few years ago on the same topic: A woman Pastor, is it biblical?
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Question: "When is civil disobedience allowed for a Christian?" Biblical Qs and As
Reblogged from: http://www.gotquestions.org/QOTW.htm
Answer: The emperor of Rome from AD 54 to 68 was Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, also known simply as Nero. The emperor was not known for being a godly person and engaged in a variety of illicit acts, homosexual marriage being among them. In AD 64 the great Roman fire occurred, with Nero himself being suspected of arson. In his writings, the Roman senator and historian Tacitus recorded, “To get rid of the report [that he had started the fire], Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace” (Annals, XV).
It was during the reign of Nero that the apostle Paul wrote his epistle to the Romans. While one might expect him to encourage the Christians in Rome to rise up against their oppressive ruler, in the chapter 13, we find this instead:
“Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor” (Romans 13:1–7).
Even under the reign of a ruthless and godless emperor, Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, tells his readers to be in subjection to the government. Moreover, he states that no authority exists other than that established by God, and that rulers are serving God in their political office.
Peter writes nearly the same thing in one of this two New Testament letters:
“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king” (1 Peter 2:13–17).
Both Paul’s and Peter’s teachings have led to quite a few questions from Christians where civil disobedience is concerned. Do Paul and Peter mean that Christians are always to submit to whatever the government commands, no matter what is asked of them?
A Brief Look at the Various Views of Civil Disobedience
There are at least three general positions on the matter of civil disobedience. The anarchist view says that a person can choose to disobey the government whenever he likes and whenever he feels he is personally justified in doing so. Such a stance has no biblical support whatsoever, as evidenced in the writings of Paul in Romans 13.
The extremist patriot says that a person should always follow and obey his country, no matter what the command. As will be shown in a moment, this view also does not have biblical support. Moreover, it is not supported in the history of nations. For example, during the Nuremberg trials, the attorneys for the Nazi war criminals attempted to use the defense that their clients were only following the direct orders of the government and therefore could not be held responsible for their actions. However, one of the judges dismissed their argument with the simple question: “But gentlemen, is there not a law above our laws?”
The position the Scriptures uphold is one of biblical submission, with a Christian being allowed to act in civil disobedience to the government if it commands evil, such that it requires a Christian to act in a manner that is contrary to the clear teachings and requirements of God’s Word.
Civil Disobedience—Examples in Scripture
In Exodus 1, the Egyptian Pharaoh gave the clear command to two Hebrew midwives that they were to kill all male Jewish babies. An extreme patriot would have carried out the government’s order, yet the Bible says the midwives disobeyed Pharaoh and “feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live” (Exodus 1:17). The Bible goes on to say the midwives lied to Pharaoh about why they were letting the children live; yet even though they lied and disobeyed their government, “God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty. Because the midwives feared God, He established households for them” (Exodus 1:20–21).
In Joshua 2, Rahab directly disobeyed a command from the king of Jericho to produce the Israelite spies who had entered the city to gain intelligence for battle. Instead, she let them down via a rope so they could escape. Even though Rahab had received a clear order from the top government official, she resisted the command and was redeemed from the city’s destruction when Joshua and the Israeli army destroyed it.
The book of 1 Samuel records a command given by King Saul during a military campaign that no one could eat until Saul had won his battle with the Philistines. However, Saul’s son Jonathan, who had not heard the order, ate honey to refresh himself from the hard battle the army had waged. When Saul found out about it, he ordered his son to die. However, the people resisted Saul and his command and saved Jonathan from being put to death (1 Samuel 14:45).
Another example of civil disobedience in keeping with biblical submission is found in 1 Kings 18. That chapter briefly introduces a man named Obadiah who “feared the Lord greatly.” When the queen Jezebel was killing God’s prophets, Obadiah took a hundred of them and hid them from her so they could live. Such an act was in clear defiance of the ruling authority’s wishes.
In 2 Kings, the only apparently approved revolt against a reigning government official is recorded. Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, began to destroy the royal offspring of the house of Judah. However, Joash the son of Ahaziah was taken by the king’s daughter and hidden from Athaliah so that the bloodline would be preserved. Six years later, Jehoiada gathered men around him, declared Joash to be king, and put Athaliah to death.
Daniel records a number of civil disobedience examples. The first is found in chapter 3 where Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow down to the golden idol in disobedience to King Nebuchadnezzar’s command. The second is in chapter 6 where Daniel defies King Darius’ decree to not pray to anyone other than the king. In both cases, God rescued His people from the death penalty that was imposed, signaling His approval of their actions.
In the New Testament, the book of Acts records the civil disobedience of Peter and John towards the authorities that were in power at the time. After Peter healed a man born lame, Peter and John were arrested for preaching about Jesus and put in jail. The religious authorities were determined to stop them from teaching about Jesus; however, Peter said, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19–20). Later, the rulers confronted the apostles again and reminded them of their command to not teach about Jesus, but Peter responded, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
One last example of civil disobedience is found in the book of Revelation where the Antichrist commands all those who are alive during the end times to worship an image of himself. But the apostle John, who wrote Revelation, states that those who become Christians at the time will disobey the Antichrist and his government and refuse to worship the image (Revelation 13:15) just as Daniel’s companions violated Nebuchadnezzar’s decree to worship his idol.
Civil Disobedience—Conclusion
What conclusions can be drawn from the above biblical examples? The guidelines for a Christian’s civil disobedience can be summed as follows:
• Christians should resist a government that commands or compels evil and should work nonviolently within the laws of the land to change a government that permits evil.
• Civil disobedience is permitted when the government’s laws or commands are in direct violation of God’s laws and commands.
• If a Christian disobeys an evil government, unless he can flee from the government, he should accept that government’s punishment for his actions.
• Christians are certainly permitted to work to install new government leaders within the laws that have been established.
Lastly, Christians are commanded to pray for their leaders and for God to intervene in His time to change any ungodly path that they are pursuing: “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:1–2).
Recommended Resources: Hard Sayings of the Bible by Kaiser, Davids, & Brauch and Logos Bible Software.
Answer: The emperor of Rome from AD 54 to 68 was Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, also known simply as Nero. The emperor was not known for being a godly person and engaged in a variety of illicit acts, homosexual marriage being among them. In AD 64 the great Roman fire occurred, with Nero himself being suspected of arson. In his writings, the Roman senator and historian Tacitus recorded, “To get rid of the report [that he had started the fire], Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace” (Annals, XV).
It was during the reign of Nero that the apostle Paul wrote his epistle to the Romans. While one might expect him to encourage the Christians in Rome to rise up against their oppressive ruler, in the chapter 13, we find this instead:
“Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor” (Romans 13:1–7).
Even under the reign of a ruthless and godless emperor, Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, tells his readers to be in subjection to the government. Moreover, he states that no authority exists other than that established by God, and that rulers are serving God in their political office.
Peter writes nearly the same thing in one of this two New Testament letters:
“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king” (1 Peter 2:13–17).
Both Paul’s and Peter’s teachings have led to quite a few questions from Christians where civil disobedience is concerned. Do Paul and Peter mean that Christians are always to submit to whatever the government commands, no matter what is asked of them?
A Brief Look at the Various Views of Civil Disobedience
There are at least three general positions on the matter of civil disobedience. The anarchist view says that a person can choose to disobey the government whenever he likes and whenever he feels he is personally justified in doing so. Such a stance has no biblical support whatsoever, as evidenced in the writings of Paul in Romans 13.
The extremist patriot says that a person should always follow and obey his country, no matter what the command. As will be shown in a moment, this view also does not have biblical support. Moreover, it is not supported in the history of nations. For example, during the Nuremberg trials, the attorneys for the Nazi war criminals attempted to use the defense that their clients were only following the direct orders of the government and therefore could not be held responsible for their actions. However, one of the judges dismissed their argument with the simple question: “But gentlemen, is there not a law above our laws?”
The position the Scriptures uphold is one of biblical submission, with a Christian being allowed to act in civil disobedience to the government if it commands evil, such that it requires a Christian to act in a manner that is contrary to the clear teachings and requirements of God’s Word.
Civil Disobedience—Examples in Scripture
In Exodus 1, the Egyptian Pharaoh gave the clear command to two Hebrew midwives that they were to kill all male Jewish babies. An extreme patriot would have carried out the government’s order, yet the Bible says the midwives disobeyed Pharaoh and “feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live” (Exodus 1:17). The Bible goes on to say the midwives lied to Pharaoh about why they were letting the children live; yet even though they lied and disobeyed their government, “God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty. Because the midwives feared God, He established households for them” (Exodus 1:20–21).
In Joshua 2, Rahab directly disobeyed a command from the king of Jericho to produce the Israelite spies who had entered the city to gain intelligence for battle. Instead, she let them down via a rope so they could escape. Even though Rahab had received a clear order from the top government official, she resisted the command and was redeemed from the city’s destruction when Joshua and the Israeli army destroyed it.
The book of 1 Samuel records a command given by King Saul during a military campaign that no one could eat until Saul had won his battle with the Philistines. However, Saul’s son Jonathan, who had not heard the order, ate honey to refresh himself from the hard battle the army had waged. When Saul found out about it, he ordered his son to die. However, the people resisted Saul and his command and saved Jonathan from being put to death (1 Samuel 14:45).
Another example of civil disobedience in keeping with biblical submission is found in 1 Kings 18. That chapter briefly introduces a man named Obadiah who “feared the Lord greatly.” When the queen Jezebel was killing God’s prophets, Obadiah took a hundred of them and hid them from her so they could live. Such an act was in clear defiance of the ruling authority’s wishes.
In 2 Kings, the only apparently approved revolt against a reigning government official is recorded. Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, began to destroy the royal offspring of the house of Judah. However, Joash the son of Ahaziah was taken by the king’s daughter and hidden from Athaliah so that the bloodline would be preserved. Six years later, Jehoiada gathered men around him, declared Joash to be king, and put Athaliah to death.
Daniel records a number of civil disobedience examples. The first is found in chapter 3 where Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow down to the golden idol in disobedience to King Nebuchadnezzar’s command. The second is in chapter 6 where Daniel defies King Darius’ decree to not pray to anyone other than the king. In both cases, God rescued His people from the death penalty that was imposed, signaling His approval of their actions.
In the New Testament, the book of Acts records the civil disobedience of Peter and John towards the authorities that were in power at the time. After Peter healed a man born lame, Peter and John were arrested for preaching about Jesus and put in jail. The religious authorities were determined to stop them from teaching about Jesus; however, Peter said, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19–20). Later, the rulers confronted the apostles again and reminded them of their command to not teach about Jesus, but Peter responded, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
One last example of civil disobedience is found in the book of Revelation where the Antichrist commands all those who are alive during the end times to worship an image of himself. But the apostle John, who wrote Revelation, states that those who become Christians at the time will disobey the Antichrist and his government and refuse to worship the image (Revelation 13:15) just as Daniel’s companions violated Nebuchadnezzar’s decree to worship his idol.
Civil Disobedience—Conclusion
What conclusions can be drawn from the above biblical examples? The guidelines for a Christian’s civil disobedience can be summed as follows:
• Christians should resist a government that commands or compels evil and should work nonviolently within the laws of the land to change a government that permits evil.
• Civil disobedience is permitted when the government’s laws or commands are in direct violation of God’s laws and commands.
• If a Christian disobeys an evil government, unless he can flee from the government, he should accept that government’s punishment for his actions.
• Christians are certainly permitted to work to install new government leaders within the laws that have been established.
Lastly, Christians are commanded to pray for their leaders and for God to intervene in His time to change any ungodly path that they are pursuing: “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:1–2).
Recommended Resources: Hard Sayings of the Bible by Kaiser, Davids, & Brauch and Logos Bible Software.
Thursday, April 9, 2015
The steps to salvation - Biblical Qs and As
Reposted from http://www.gotquestions.org/steps-to-salvation.html
Question: "What are the steps to salvation?"
Answer: Many people are looking for “steps to salvation.” People like the idea of an instruction manual with five steps that, if followed, will result in salvation. An example of this is Islam with its Five Pillars. According to Islam, if the Five Pillars are obeyed, salvation will be granted. Because the idea of a step-by-step process to salvation is appealing, many in the Christian community make the mistake of presenting salvation as a result of a step-by-step process. Roman Catholicism has seven sacraments. Various Christian denominations add baptism, public confession, turning from sin, speaking in tongues, etc., as steps to salvation. But the Bible only presents one step to salvation. When the Philippian jailer asked Paul, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul responded, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:30-31).
Faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior is the only “step” to salvation. The message of the Bible is abundantly clear. We have all sinned against God (Romans 3:23). Because of our sin, we deserve to be eternally separated from God (Romans 6:23). Because of His love for us (John 3:16), God took on human form and died in our place, taking the punishment that we deserve (Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21). God promises forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven to all who receive, by grace through faith, Jesus Christ as Savior (John 1:12; 3:16; 5:24; Acts 16:31).
Salvation is not about certain steps we must follow to earn salvation. Yes, Christians should be baptized. Yes, Christians should publicly confess Christ as Savior. Yes, Christians should turn from sin. Yes, Christians should commit their lives to obeying God. However, these are not steps to salvation. They are results of salvation. Because of our sin, we cannot in any sense earn salvation. We could follow 1000 steps, and it would not be enough. That is why Jesus had to die in our place. We are absolutely incapable of paying our sin debt to God or cleansing ourselves from sin. Only God could accomplish our salvation, and so He did. God Himself completed the “steps” and thereby offers salvation to anyone who will receive it from Him.
Salvation and forgiveness of sins is not about following steps. It is about receiving Christ as Savior and recognizing that He has done all of the work for us. God requires one step of us—receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and fully trusting in Him alone as the way of salvation. That is what distinguishes the Christian faith from all other world religions, each of which has a list of steps that must be followed in order for salvation to be received. The Christian faith recognizes that God has already completed the steps and simply calls on us to receive Him in faith.
Question: "What are the steps to salvation?"
Answer: Many people are looking for “steps to salvation.” People like the idea of an instruction manual with five steps that, if followed, will result in salvation. An example of this is Islam with its Five Pillars. According to Islam, if the Five Pillars are obeyed, salvation will be granted. Because the idea of a step-by-step process to salvation is appealing, many in the Christian community make the mistake of presenting salvation as a result of a step-by-step process. Roman Catholicism has seven sacraments. Various Christian denominations add baptism, public confession, turning from sin, speaking in tongues, etc., as steps to salvation. But the Bible only presents one step to salvation. When the Philippian jailer asked Paul, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul responded, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:30-31).
Faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior is the only “step” to salvation. The message of the Bible is abundantly clear. We have all sinned against God (Romans 3:23). Because of our sin, we deserve to be eternally separated from God (Romans 6:23). Because of His love for us (John 3:16), God took on human form and died in our place, taking the punishment that we deserve (Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21). God promises forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven to all who receive, by grace through faith, Jesus Christ as Savior (John 1:12; 3:16; 5:24; Acts 16:31).
Salvation is not about certain steps we must follow to earn salvation. Yes, Christians should be baptized. Yes, Christians should publicly confess Christ as Savior. Yes, Christians should turn from sin. Yes, Christians should commit their lives to obeying God. However, these are not steps to salvation. They are results of salvation. Because of our sin, we cannot in any sense earn salvation. We could follow 1000 steps, and it would not be enough. That is why Jesus had to die in our place. We are absolutely incapable of paying our sin debt to God or cleansing ourselves from sin. Only God could accomplish our salvation, and so He did. God Himself completed the “steps” and thereby offers salvation to anyone who will receive it from Him.
Salvation and forgiveness of sins is not about following steps. It is about receiving Christ as Savior and recognizing that He has done all of the work for us. God requires one step of us—receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and fully trusting in Him alone as the way of salvation. That is what distinguishes the Christian faith from all other world religions, each of which has a list of steps that must be followed in order for salvation to be received. The Christian faith recognizes that God has already completed the steps and simply calls on us to receive Him in faith.
Friday, October 31, 2014
Misusing Malachi 3:8-10 - Qs and As
Q. On more than one
occasion, by more than one spirit filled minister, I have heard the
teaching that if we as Christians don’t give 10% of what we get to the
Church then we are ‘stealing from God’. The only scripture they offer
to support that statement is in Mal.3 where the priests were actually
stealing the tithes to use for themselves. I have totally rejected this
teaching with my comment; “You’re saying then that Jesus’ sacrifice is
not enough, and we must buy our way into Heaven?”
A. Tithing and Salvation are not connected. No matter how much you give you can’t buy your way into heaven, nor is tithing ever presented that way in the Bible.
It seems clear to me that when God said the Israelites were robbing from Him by not bringing the full tithe into the storehouse that’s exactly what He meant (Malachi 3:8-10). It wasn’t that the priests were stealing the tithes, it was that the people weren’t bringing them. Tithing was required by law and by not doing so the people were breaking the law, in effect stealing from God.
But pastors who quote Malachi 3:8-10 in an effort to get more money from their congregations today are misusing the passage. In the Old Testament people tithed out of obedience, but in the New Testament we do it out of gratitude.
Paul said whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly and whoever sows generously will reap generously, but we are to decide in our own heart what to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:6-7). Jesus said with the measure we use in giving to the needs of others it will be measured to us (Luke 6:38). In other words, our generosity toward others will determine His generosity toward us.
We are not under the Law but under Grace. No other group in the history of mankind has been or will be as blessed as we are, and our generosity is one of the ways we can express our gratitude for that.
A. Tithing and Salvation are not connected. No matter how much you give you can’t buy your way into heaven, nor is tithing ever presented that way in the Bible.
It seems clear to me that when God said the Israelites were robbing from Him by not bringing the full tithe into the storehouse that’s exactly what He meant (Malachi 3:8-10). It wasn’t that the priests were stealing the tithes, it was that the people weren’t bringing them. Tithing was required by law and by not doing so the people were breaking the law, in effect stealing from God.
But pastors who quote Malachi 3:8-10 in an effort to get more money from their congregations today are misusing the passage. In the Old Testament people tithed out of obedience, but in the New Testament we do it out of gratitude.
Paul said whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly and whoever sows generously will reap generously, but we are to decide in our own heart what to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:6-7). Jesus said with the measure we use in giving to the needs of others it will be measured to us (Luke 6:38). In other words, our generosity toward others will determine His generosity toward us.
We are not under the Law but under Grace. No other group in the history of mankind has been or will be as blessed as we are, and our generosity is one of the ways we can express our gratitude for that.
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