Obedience to God: Obeying God is a fundamental part of the Christian life, but the straight and narrow is often an uphill climb. Who we obey reveals who we honor and value.
Light is sown like seed for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Psalm 97:11
Showing posts with label ENGLISH - Biblical Q and As. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ENGLISH - Biblical Q and As. Show all posts
Monday, February 29, 2016
Obedience to God - GotQuestions.org ministries
Obedience to God: Obeying God is a fundamental part of the Christian life, but the straight and narrow is often an uphill climb. Who we obey reveals who we honor and value.
Flesh And Blood Or Bread And Wine? Qs and As
Republished from gracethrufaith.com
Q.
My question regards the teaching of Jesus in John 6:51-58. I hear
Catholics say that they are taking these verses literally. Hence at
their communion ceremony they are only following the word of God. And if
they are using these words to their literal meaning, then the rest of
us are not. And, we are supposedly the ones who believe in a literal
translation of the Bible. So what is Jesus really saying here? How would
I respond to a Catholic on this point?
A.
I assume you’re talking about the Catholic doctrine of
trans-substantiation, wherein the communion wafer supposedly becomes the
actual body and blood of Christ at the moment it’s taken.
In John 6:53 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood you have no life in you.”
But Genesis 9:4 specifically prohibits the consumption of blood. Jesus is the exact representation of the God who issued that prohibition and therefore could not advocate the violation of his own laws. By this we know that He was speaking metaphorically. And if that’s not good enough, at the last supper He made it unmistakably clear. The bread symbolized His body and the wine His blood. We’re to partake of the symbols, not the real thing.
So why did He seem to be intentionally misleading the people? This discourse came on the heels of His miraculous feeding of the 5000. In John 6:26, after a large group had followed Him to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, he accused them of following Him just because He fed them, not because they believed in Him. When He tried to explain that He was giving them Himself, and not bread, many went away disappointed. He was separating the true believers from those who just wanted a free meal.
In John 6:53 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood you have no life in you.”
But Genesis 9:4 specifically prohibits the consumption of blood. Jesus is the exact representation of the God who issued that prohibition and therefore could not advocate the violation of his own laws. By this we know that He was speaking metaphorically. And if that’s not good enough, at the last supper He made it unmistakably clear. The bread symbolized His body and the wine His blood. We’re to partake of the symbols, not the real thing.
So why did He seem to be intentionally misleading the people? This discourse came on the heels of His miraculous feeding of the 5000. In John 6:26, after a large group had followed Him to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, he accused them of following Him just because He fed them, not because they believed in Him. When He tried to explain that He was giving them Himself, and not bread, many went away disappointed. He was separating the true believers from those who just wanted a free meal.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Was There A Pre-Adamite Race?
Q. I have a friend who
believes and teaches about preadamites. It isn’t that theory itself
bothers me, as much as the idea that comes from it. The bible clearly
says that Adam was the first man, and that through him (Adam) was sin
and death brought into the world. If a race was already here and God
destroyed it, wouldn’t that make these verses in the bible untrue? He
teaches that this race happened between Gen 1:1, and Gen1:2 during the
Gap Theory. Any biblical thoughts would be more than appreciated, thank
you.
A. The only pre-Adamite beings were the angels, who Job identifies as being present when God laid the foundations of Earth (Job 38:2-7).
The notion of a pre-Adamite race of human like beings on Earth who were judged and destroyed cannot be reconciled with the Bible and was not originally part of the Gap Theory. This theory, also known as the Ruin-Reconstruction Theory, places an undetermined period of time between Genesis 1:1 & 1:2 where Earth sat in the dark, an uninhabitable ruin, as a result of the fall and judgment of Lucifer.
It’s been around since at least the 1600’s but the first one to popularize the idea of a pre-Adamite race, at least among believers, was probably Dr. Finis Dake, editor of Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, early in the 20th Century. While the original Gap Theory is consistent with the Creation account, the unfortunate inclusion of a pre-Adamite race destroys it’s compatibility.
The pre-Adamite idea relies on a highly speculative interpretation of the phrase “after its own kind” found in several places in the Creation account, and the incorrect translation of the Hebrew word “male”, which is translated “replenish” in the King James Version of Genesis 1:28. It actually means “to fill.”
As you’ve pointed out it attacks the veracity of the Biblical account. Both cannot be true, since Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, plainly stated that Adam was “the first man” (1 Corinthians 15:45), and that through Adam’s sin death entered the world (Romans 5:12; 8:20-22; 1 Corinthians 15:21).
A. The only pre-Adamite beings were the angels, who Job identifies as being present when God laid the foundations of Earth (Job 38:2-7).
The notion of a pre-Adamite race of human like beings on Earth who were judged and destroyed cannot be reconciled with the Bible and was not originally part of the Gap Theory. This theory, also known as the Ruin-Reconstruction Theory, places an undetermined period of time between Genesis 1:1 & 1:2 where Earth sat in the dark, an uninhabitable ruin, as a result of the fall and judgment of Lucifer.
It’s been around since at least the 1600’s but the first one to popularize the idea of a pre-Adamite race, at least among believers, was probably Dr. Finis Dake, editor of Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, early in the 20th Century. While the original Gap Theory is consistent with the Creation account, the unfortunate inclusion of a pre-Adamite race destroys it’s compatibility.
The pre-Adamite idea relies on a highly speculative interpretation of the phrase “after its own kind” found in several places in the Creation account, and the incorrect translation of the Hebrew word “male”, which is translated “replenish” in the King James Version of Genesis 1:28. It actually means “to fill.”
As you’ve pointed out it attacks the veracity of the Biblical account. Both cannot be true, since Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, plainly stated that Adam was “the first man” (1 Corinthians 15:45), and that through Adam’s sin death entered the world (Romans 5:12; 8:20-22; 1 Corinthians 15:21).
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
A Workman Approved
Q. Can you explain in further detail 2 Timothy 2:15? What’s the context in which Paul wrote it?
A. 2 Tim. 2:15 reads,
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
The Greek word translated approved is dokimos. It came from the world of finance and is the key to understanding this verse. All money was coinage in those days and was valued by weight. Dishonest money changers would shave some of the metal from the coins they handled, making them worth a little less than their face value. The little bit shaved from each coin was a hidden profit that over time could be used to make additional coins that cost them nothing.
But some money changers were men of integrity, who would neither accept nor distribute lightweight money; they were men of honor who put only genuine, full-weight money into circulation. These men were called dokimos. They were approved because they correctly handled the money entrusted to them. (Donald Grey Barnhouse, Romans: God’s Glory, p. 18.)
The King James version uses the phrase “rightly dividing” in place of “correctly handles”. The Greek word there is “orthotomeo” which means “to proceed on straight paths, hold a straight course, equiv. to doing right”.
Timothy was a young man and one of the Church’s very first pastors. Paul was advising him not to get caught up in debates over different interpretations but to study so he could deliver the full weight of God’s Word in its proper context, not some light weight version. Then he could present himself to God as a teacher of integrity, as one approved, a dokimos who correctly handled the word of truth, and would not be ashamed of what he had taught.
Some extreme dispensationalists have used this phrase as an excuse to decide which parts of the New Testament are meant for the Church and which are not. In my opinion this improperly exceeds Paul’s intent in his instructions to Timothy.
A. 2 Tim. 2:15 reads,
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
The Greek word translated approved is dokimos. It came from the world of finance and is the key to understanding this verse. All money was coinage in those days and was valued by weight. Dishonest money changers would shave some of the metal from the coins they handled, making them worth a little less than their face value. The little bit shaved from each coin was a hidden profit that over time could be used to make additional coins that cost them nothing.
But some money changers were men of integrity, who would neither accept nor distribute lightweight money; they were men of honor who put only genuine, full-weight money into circulation. These men were called dokimos. They were approved because they correctly handled the money entrusted to them. (Donald Grey Barnhouse, Romans: God’s Glory, p. 18.)
The King James version uses the phrase “rightly dividing” in place of “correctly handles”. The Greek word there is “orthotomeo” which means “to proceed on straight paths, hold a straight course, equiv. to doing right”.
Timothy was a young man and one of the Church’s very first pastors. Paul was advising him not to get caught up in debates over different interpretations but to study so he could deliver the full weight of God’s Word in its proper context, not some light weight version. Then he could present himself to God as a teacher of integrity, as one approved, a dokimos who correctly handled the word of truth, and would not be ashamed of what he had taught.
Some extreme dispensationalists have used this phrase as an excuse to decide which parts of the New Testament are meant for the Church and which are not. In my opinion this improperly exceeds Paul’s intent in his instructions to Timothy.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
How Are We To Believe? Bible Qs and As
Q. I remember a missionary from another
religion saying that 10 million people can’t be wrong in their belief in
(his religion), to which I responded, “Well going with that logic, I
could say 1 billion people cant be wrong about Islam.” In the case of
his religion he said the members “feel” their religion is correct. But
don’t most people who follow other religions feel that they are correct?
They might even get dreams and visions telling them their religion is
right.
Reblogged from gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher
The only conclusion one can draw from this is that you cannot base your
belief on feelings. So how are we to believe then. Logic? Knowledge?
Just because? With something as important as our salvation, are we
supposed to believe not using our feelings? I hope you are able to
provide some insight on this.
A. I agree. Feelings are almost never good indicators for decision making. And 10 million or even 1 billion people can be wrong. But there is one fool proof way to tell if you’re right about what you believe and that’s to open
your Bible. It turns out that the Bible is the only so-called Holy Book
that authenticates itself, and the way it does that is through
prophecy. Isaiah 42:8-9 is one of the clearest passages on this issue.
“I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.”
Here the Lord is telling us that everything He said would happen in the past has happened. And He’s already told us the things the things that will happen in the future. Only someone who knows the end from the beginning can do that. It’s the way the Lord authenticates Himself for us.
To prove this, compare Old Testament prophecy with history. It’s not as hard as you think. One chapter, Daniel 11, contains over 100 historically validated prophecies in just the first 35 verses. Compare them with a 200 year period of world history that begins with the death of Alexander the Great and ends with the arrival of the Roman Empire on the world scene. To make it even easier, use a study Bible that has already made the comparison in its study notes and confirms their accuracy with history.
If you’re still not convinced, compare the study Bible notes with the historical record for yourself. In a short time you’ll have 100 pieces of proof that the promises God makes come true. Only the Bible can do this. Your
study Bible will also show you where to find numerous specific details
of the Lord’s first coming that God foretold in the Old Testament
hundreds or even thousands of years before the fact.
If you do this, you’ll come away convinced that believing in the God of the Bible is the only logical thing to do. You’ll also conclude that if He could predict all those things correctly, it makes sense to believe that He’s accurate in His predictions of our future as well.
Reblogged from gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher
The only conclusion one can draw from this is that you cannot base your
belief on feelings. So how are we to believe then. Logic? Knowledge?
Just because? With something as important as our salvation, are we
supposed to believe not using our feelings? I hope you are able to
provide some insight on this.A. I agree. Feelings are almost never good indicators for decision making. And 10 million or even 1 billion people can be wrong. But there is one fool proof way to tell if you’re right about what you believe and that’s to open
your Bible. It turns out that the Bible is the only so-called Holy Book
that authenticates itself, and the way it does that is through
prophecy. Isaiah 42:8-9 is one of the clearest passages on this issue.“I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.”
Here the Lord is telling us that everything He said would happen in the past has happened. And He’s already told us the things the things that will happen in the future. Only someone who knows the end from the beginning can do that. It’s the way the Lord authenticates Himself for us.
To prove this, compare Old Testament prophecy with history. It’s not as hard as you think. One chapter, Daniel 11, contains over 100 historically validated prophecies in just the first 35 verses. Compare them with a 200 year period of world history that begins with the death of Alexander the Great and ends with the arrival of the Roman Empire on the world scene. To make it even easier, use a study Bible that has already made the comparison in its study notes and confirms their accuracy with history.
If you’re still not convinced, compare the study Bible notes with the historical record for yourself. In a short time you’ll have 100 pieces of proof that the promises God makes come true. Only the Bible can do this. Your
study Bible will also show you where to find numerous specific details
of the Lord’s first coming that God foretold in the Old Testament
hundreds or even thousands of years before the fact.If you do this, you’ll come away convinced that believing in the God of the Bible is the only logical thing to do. You’ll also conclude that if He could predict all those things correctly, it makes sense to believe that He’s accurate in His predictions of our future as well.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Misunderstandings About Salvation - Bible Qs and As
Q. Last week when I was reading thru the Bible,
I got to a couple of rather bone-chilling verses and I’d like to get
your 2 cents worth on it:
Mat 7:21-23 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
I don’t know if I can think anything more frightening than come final judgment day if the LORD tells me “depart from me I never knew you”. After giving it some thought I’ve come to the conclusion that just merely accepting Christ and that He died for my sins is NOT sufficient. I don’t mean that works are required except for ONE thing in addition to having faith—REPENT. The forces of darkness know who Jesus is and they believe in Him and know that thru Christ the sins of the people are forgiven. The difference is that they never had any intention of repenting. I don’t want to sound doom and gloom but this is starting to bother me a bit, which I assume is a good thing because that means the Holy Spirit is doing some conviction in my heart. But, what do you understand these passages to mean?
A. Before looking at Matt. 7:21 let’s to go to the verses that most clearly explain God’s will where our salvation is concerned. John 6:28-29 tells that the work the Father requires of us is to believe in the One He has sent. And John 6:40 says, “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” And Ephesians 1:13-14 tells us we were included in Christ when we heard the gospel of our salvation and believed it. At that time we were given the seal of the Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing our salvation. There’s no mention of any other requirement in these or any other statement concerning our salvation. Don’t take my word for this. Check Matt. 7:7-8, John 3:16, John 6:38-40, Romans 10:9, Romans 10:13, 2 Cor. 1:21-22, Titus 3:4-7 to be sure.
Add to this the fact that the Greek word translated repent simply means to change one’s mind. Before you can be saved, you have to change your mind about your spiritual condition and agree that you’re a sinner in need of a Savior. When the Bible says repent and be baptized, as in Acts 2:38, it doesn’t mean to change our behavior to prove we’re worthy of salvation, it means to change our minds and admit we need a savior.
In Matt. 7:21-23 Jesus was finishing up a teaching about false prophets that begins in Matt. 7:15. He said just because they call Him Lord does not mean they will enter the Kingdom even if they claim to have done miracles in His name. He will call them evil doers and deny ever knowing them. These verses were not intended for general application. They pertain to the false prophets among us.
As for the oft misquoted James 2:19, what it really says is, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” There’s no mention of Jesus, or what it takes to be saved. James is arguing that saving faith will eventually manifest itself in the desire to help others. The reason the demons tremble is that while they know there’s only one God, they haven’t been willing to humble themselves and admit that they need a Savior. Therefore they have only His judgment to look forward to.
Over and over again, the Bible says that belief in the Lord’s atoning death and accepting it in faith as payment for our sins is the only requirement for salvation. Our faith in that is what’s credited to us as righteousness. (Romans 4:5)
Mat 7:21-23 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
I don’t know if I can think anything more frightening than come final judgment day if the LORD tells me “depart from me I never knew you”. After giving it some thought I’ve come to the conclusion that just merely accepting Christ and that He died for my sins is NOT sufficient. I don’t mean that works are required except for ONE thing in addition to having faith—REPENT. The forces of darkness know who Jesus is and they believe in Him and know that thru Christ the sins of the people are forgiven. The difference is that they never had any intention of repenting. I don’t want to sound doom and gloom but this is starting to bother me a bit, which I assume is a good thing because that means the Holy Spirit is doing some conviction in my heart. But, what do you understand these passages to mean?
A. Before looking at Matt. 7:21 let’s to go to the verses that most clearly explain God’s will where our salvation is concerned. John 6:28-29 tells that the work the Father requires of us is to believe in the One He has sent. And John 6:40 says, “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” And Ephesians 1:13-14 tells us we were included in Christ when we heard the gospel of our salvation and believed it. At that time we were given the seal of the Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing our salvation. There’s no mention of any other requirement in these or any other statement concerning our salvation. Don’t take my word for this. Check Matt. 7:7-8, John 3:16, John 6:38-40, Romans 10:9, Romans 10:13, 2 Cor. 1:21-22, Titus 3:4-7 to be sure.
Add to this the fact that the Greek word translated repent simply means to change one’s mind. Before you can be saved, you have to change your mind about your spiritual condition and agree that you’re a sinner in need of a Savior. When the Bible says repent and be baptized, as in Acts 2:38, it doesn’t mean to change our behavior to prove we’re worthy of salvation, it means to change our minds and admit we need a savior.
In Matt. 7:21-23 Jesus was finishing up a teaching about false prophets that begins in Matt. 7:15. He said just because they call Him Lord does not mean they will enter the Kingdom even if they claim to have done miracles in His name. He will call them evil doers and deny ever knowing them. These verses were not intended for general application. They pertain to the false prophets among us.
As for the oft misquoted James 2:19, what it really says is, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” There’s no mention of Jesus, or what it takes to be saved. James is arguing that saving faith will eventually manifest itself in the desire to help others. The reason the demons tremble is that while they know there’s only one God, they haven’t been willing to humble themselves and admit that they need a Savior. Therefore they have only His judgment to look forward to.
Over and over again, the Bible says that belief in the Lord’s atoning death and accepting it in faith as payment for our sins is the only requirement for salvation. Our faith in that is what’s credited to us as righteousness. (Romans 4:5)
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Dust, Sand, And Stars - Bible Qs and As
Q. I just read a commentary on the three types
of people who represent the seed of Abraham. The author likened them
to the Jews, the Arabs, and the Church. I’ve only recognized these
Scriptures to be speaking to two groups; the “earthly promises” to
Israel and the “heavenly/spiritual promises” to the Church. Would you
please clarify.
A. Like you, I have an opinion that differs somewhat from the commentary you’re quoting.
In Genesis 13:16 God said He would make Abraham’s descendants like the dust of the earth. This promise was made in conjunction with showing Abraham the Promised Land and refers to the Jews.
In Genesis 16:10 the Angel of the Lord promised Hagar that her descendants (through Ishmael) would be too numerous to count, but made no reference to sand, dust, or stars.
In Genesis 22:17 God told Abraham his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. This was said just after the interrupted sacrifice of Isaac, which was a model of the sacrifice of Jesus, and was meant to show how all nations would be blessed because of Abraham.
I believe the stars in the sky was a reference to the redeemed Church (in Christ we are Abraham’s seed according to Galatians 3:29 and come from every nation) dwelling in the New Jerusalem above Earth, and the sand on the seashore points to Israel in the Millennium, when they will finally recognize the Messiah and dwell in the Land on Earth.
A. Like you, I have an opinion that differs somewhat from the commentary you’re quoting.
In Genesis 13:16 God said He would make Abraham’s descendants like the dust of the earth. This promise was made in conjunction with showing Abraham the Promised Land and refers to the Jews.
In Genesis 16:10 the Angel of the Lord promised Hagar that her descendants (through Ishmael) would be too numerous to count, but made no reference to sand, dust, or stars.
In Genesis 22:17 God told Abraham his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. This was said just after the interrupted sacrifice of Isaac, which was a model of the sacrifice of Jesus, and was meant to show how all nations would be blessed because of Abraham.
I believe the stars in the sky was a reference to the redeemed Church (in Christ we are Abraham’s seed according to Galatians 3:29 and come from every nation) dwelling in the New Jerusalem above Earth, and the sand on the seashore points to Israel in the Millennium, when they will finally recognize the Messiah and dwell in the Land on Earth.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
No 7 Year Tribulation. Follow Up - Bible Qs and As
Reblogged from gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher
Q. Re: There Is No 7 Year Tribulation. You say there is no 7 year tribulation and the church will go through the world, but not suffer the wrath of God. In Matthew 24, Jesus says in verse 13, whoever endures to the end [of the events in verses 6-12], the same shall be saved. Can you explain how this pertains to tribulation survivors? I believe it does apply to tribulation survivors since church age believers have eternal security, but I just want to know how it pertains to tribulation saints if there is no 7 year tribulation.
A. Please read the article more carefully. What I said is there is no seven year period called “The Tribulation” in the Bible. The only period of time with “tribulation” in its name is the Great Tribulation, which is a 3 1/2 year time of judgment contained within Daniel’s 70th Week (Daniel 9:27). Daniel’s 70th Week is also known as the time of God’s wrath (Rev. 6:17) and is never called “the tribulation” or “tribulation time” or any other name with tribulation in it.
In Matt. 24:4-8 Jesus described conditions that would be common to life. He said as the end of the age comes closer they would get progressively more frequent and more intense. He called them birth pangs because they would resemble the progression of a woman in labor. They will become noticeably more intense during Daniel’s 70th Week, and will reach a level of severity previously unknown to mankind during the Great Tribulation.
Matt. 24:9-14 is an overview of the end times judgments. Matt. 24:15-31 is a description of the Great Tribulation, a phrase first used by Jesus in Matt. 24:21, and the 2nd Coming. The phrase “Abomination of Desolation” in Matt. 24:15 refers to Daniel 9:27 where we learn it will take place in the middle of Daniel’s 70th Week. This event kicks off the Great Tribulation.
There are several reasons why Matt. 24:13 “He who stands firm to the end will be saved” has to apply to post church believers.
1) The phrase is at the end of the Lord’s overview of the end times judgments. The Church will be gone by then, having been rescued from the coming wrath (Romans 5:9, 1 Thes. 1:10).
2) During the Church age believers are guaranteed our salvation from the moment we believe (Ephes. 1:13-14), and it is God who makes us stand firm in Christ (2 Cor. 1:21-22).
2) Post Church believers will not be given the promise of eternal security and will be responsible for making them selves stand firm (Matt. 25:1-13, Rev. 14:12).
Saturday, August 3, 2013
OSAS And Hebrews 10. Bible Qs and As
Reblogged from gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher
Q. I have a question on Hebrews 10:26-29. I was brought up to believe in “once saved, always saved”, yet this scripture would make someone think that salvation could be lost.
“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of truth,there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law will die without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace.”
I am new to your site, but you seem to have some pretty knowledgeable things to say. Please clear this one up for me.
A. Let’s review the concept of OSAS. The Bible clearly tells us that at the moment we first believed, we were given the seal of the Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance. This confirms that our salvation is assured (Ephes. 1:13-14). Paul confirmed this in 2 Cor. 1:21-22 adding that God has taken ownership of us and it is He who makes us stand firm in Christ. The Bible also says that we’re saved by faith alone, not by works (Ephes. 2:8-9). So the basis for our salvation is belief, not behavior, and it’s guaranteed right from the start. This is possible because all the sins of our life were forgiven at the cross (Colossians 2:13-14).
These are incredibly clear statements on the unconditional and durable nature of our salvation, and form the foundation for the OSAS view. To deny OSAS you have to believe that other statements in the Bible can rescind or contradict these promises. That means you believe that either God wasn’t sincere when He had Paul make them, or that He let Paul make a promise in His name that isn’t true, or that He changed His mind and revoked them.
Now let’s look at your quote from Hebrews 10:26-29. If the writer was referring to our salvation then the first phrase of that passage has disqualified everyone who has ever lived from ever going to Heaven because no Christian has ever lived a sin free life.
Even the mighty Paul confessed that he couldn’t keep himself from sinning. (Romans 7:18-20). The Apostle John agreed. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” (1 John 1:8-10) Both were writing to the Church, not to unbelievers.
Finally, look at the context in which the Hebrews passage was given. The whole letter is an argument against the tendency of Jewish believers to go back into the Levitical system, which required the sacrifice of a Lamb as the remedy for sin. Statements both before and after the passage you quoted confirm the confidence we have that Jesus paid the whole price for all the sins of our lives. He is the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world (John 1:29) once and for all (Hebrews 10:12-14).
Hebrews 10:19-23 says, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
And Hebrews 10:35-36 says, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” Jesus said that the will of God is that everyone Who looks to the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life. (John 6:40)
Put it all together and you can see that Hebrews 10:26-29 says that there’s no longer any acceptable sacrifice for sin in the Levitical system, and that looking for one is a sin that has the effect of “trampling the Son of God underfoot, counting the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulting the Spirit of grace,” and that going back to the Law of Moses after Jesus had come to fulfill it was a worse insult to God than disobeying it before He came.
Under the New Covenant the remedy for sin is 1 John 1:9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Failure to confess our sins gives us no release from the guilt we feel for sinning. Over the years this guilt builds up into a “fearful expectation” of judgment, which is what Hebr. 10: 27 actually says. It’s not that we’ll wind up being treated like God’s enemies, because that would violate all the promises God has made to us. But the guilt we feel for all our sins will make us fearful that it could happen.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Denying The Lord? Bible Q and As
Reblogged from gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher
Q. In Matt. 10:32-33 Jesus said, “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in Heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.”
But in Matt. 26:34 Jesus said Peter would deny Him three times, and then Peter did. What is the implication of Mt 10:32-33 for Peter, or for that matter for any of us who fail to speak up for Christ when we have an opportunity to do so?
A. The confusion here lies with the English translation because in the Greek language two different words are used. The word translated deny in Matt. 10:33 means to reject or refuse someone whereas the one in Matt. 26:34 means to deny being acquainted with someone.
In Matt. 26:69-74 Peter repeatedly claimed he wasn’t acquainted with Jesus. He wasn’t being truthful, but he wasn’t rejecting or refusing what Jesus was offering, which is the gift of salvation. Failing to speak up for Christ when we have an opportunity is not the same as rejecting what He has offered us, and will not cause Him to reject us.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
The Transfiguration - Bible Qs and As
Q. Could you please explain Matt. 16:28 to me. Isn’t Jesus speaking to the disciples when he says “some of you standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom”? Is that the Second Coming after the Great Tribulation or is that ‘coming in His Kingdom’ something else?
A. Jesus was referring specifically to His transfiguration that would take place six days later in Matt. 17. The phrase “Coming in His Kingdom” meant He would be appearing just as He would look at the 2nd Coming. When they got to the top of the Mountain, a very significant meeting took place. First, they saw Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets, a term for the Old Covenant.
Then a bright cloud enveloped them and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him” (Matt. 17:5). It was the Voice was God, the Cloud was the Holy Spirit, and together with Jesus they made up the Holy Trinity.
Peter, James, and John, the disciples who were there, stood for the New Covenant, the Church. Later, Peter would say that the topic of discussion among them was the 2nd Coming (2 Peter 1:16-18).
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Finding God Again - Biblel Qs and As
Reblogged from gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher
Q. I totally agree with you that salvation is a gift and there is nothing anyone can do to earn it. But is it possible for someone to accept the gift and years later change their mind and say they do not want it? I accepted Christ in my early 20′s. I’m in my early 60′s. The only reason I can remember for doing so was because I was afraid of going to hell. Many of the things I do that are in accordance with God’s teaching are either out of habit or because I think I should. At times I believe I’m just going through the motions and the best I can hope for is a lesser degree of hell.A. A number of verses in the New Testament give testimony to the fact that our salvation is a non-returnable gift. Once we are saved they say that our security is guaranteed by God and no one, including ourselves, can reverse that. Here are a few examples.
John 10:28-29 says that both the Father and the Son hold us on the palm of their hands, and that no one can snatch us away. It doesn’t say no one but us, it says no one. Romans 8:38-39 says that nothing in all of creation can separate us from the Love of God that’s in Christ Jesus. Nothing in all of creation includes us. And in 2 Cor. 1:21-22 Paul said that God has assumed responsibility for us. He put His mark of ownership on us and His Spirit in us to guarantee our future with Him.
Jesus often used the analogy of the shepherd and the sheep in referring to His relationship with us. A basic tenet of that relationship is that sheep are prone to wandering off and when they do it’s their shepherd’s job to bring them back. As our shepherd, Jesus promised never to lose even one of those the Father gives Him (John 6:39-40).
On that day 40 years ago, if you sincerely asked the Lord into your heart, then He’s still there and will never leave you or forsake you. If you’ve wandered off He’s searching for you and will bring you back.
Make it easier on both of you. Start looking for Him again. You’ll find Him in the pages of your Bible. Don’t worry about doing what Christians are supposed to do. Go back to being what Christians are supposed to be, and that’s the object of the Lord’s affection. Open your arms to Him and He’ll embrace you. It’s a promise He’s made and He’s waiting to keep it.
Friday, June 21, 2013
Common Sense Rules For Studying The Bible - Bible Qs and As
Reblogged from gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher
Q. As a somewhat baby Christian there is something I do not understand. I have read many examples of persons who have spent years in Bible study over a particular topic, and believe they have been led by the Holy Spirit to discern the meaning of the passage. Yet, another person studies the same passage but their discernment has led them to the opposite conclusion! How can this be? How can we have this one magnificent book, yet no one can seem to agree on what it says ? Is God a God of confusion ? How can a young Christian have faith in their own ability to search out the scriptures and their meanings when there are so many different opinions as to what is being said?A. There’s a simple answer to your question. God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). Therefore, as a general rule only one interpretation of Scripture can be right. When two people, both “claiming” the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, come up with conflicting interpretations you know one of them is wrong. This is why the Bible never speaks of believers getting our understanding of God’s word from someone else. It says we should listen to others with an open mind but then search the Scriptures for ourselves to see if what we’ve heard is correct (Acts 17:11).
The Bible is written so any one of average intelligence can understand it by following a few simple rules. First, we are to assume it means just what it says, unless the passage itself tells us otherwise, as would be the case when the Lord is telling a parable.
Second, the Bible being God’s word cannot contradict itself. It cannot say something thing in one place and then say something different in another place. Some verses are clearer than others so we should always look at the clearest verses to help us understand similar verses that aren’t so clear.
And third we’re not to take verses out of context, but are to read the entire passage in which a verse appears to discover who the Lord was speaking to, what He was speaking about, and what general time is being referenced.
As you read and study the Bible, you’ll gain a deeper perspective and following these rules will become easier, both as they concern your own study, and in your ability to spot incorrect interpretations by others.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Why Don’t They Understand This? Bible Q and As
Reblogged from gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/
Q. In your book, “Seven Things You Have To Know …” You said, “History shows us that after the cross, major signs began to appear in the Temple indicating the obsolescence of its ritual. First, the veil was torn, opening the way to the Holy of Holies. Then, one of the seven lamps of the Menorah refused to stay lit. The main entrance door kept opening by itself. The ribbon attached to the scapegoat’s horn no longer turned from red to white at the moment of its death as it always had before. And there were others.” Where can I read about these signs that happened after the cross? Do Jews acknowledge these signs? If so, how do they still deny Jesus? Also how did the Jews transition away from animal sacrifices?
A. The torn veil is mentioned in the Gospels (Matt. 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45), but I got the others from a book called “The Fall Feasts of Israel” by Dr. Mitch Glaser, where I learned that these things were documented in religious and historical writings of the time.
The Jews transitioned away from animal sacrifice after 70 AD because it requires a temple. When the Temple was destroyed and Jerusalem was burned, the ruling body relocated to Tiberius and developed the form of Judaism we have today. When a new Temple is built they’ll resume animal sacrifices.
There are reasons why so many Jewish people don’t comprehend the importance of these signs. One is because it’s hidden from their eyes (Luke 19:41-45) and their hearts have been hardened (Romans 11:25). The other is like most people, including the Church, they don’t study their own history and therefore fail to learn from it.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Inspiration Of The Holy Spirit - Bible Q and As
Reblogged from gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher
Q. Wouldn’t it be more accurate to state that the Gospels were written under either the “guidance” or “authority” of the Holy Spirit rather than the “inspiration”? I realize that at first blush this might seem like hair splitting; however, I think that using a word slightly stronger than “inspiration” would better convey the authority of the Gospels. People might question less and read more.
A. The term “inspiration of the Holy Spirit” is used to indicate our belief that the words used by the various writers of the Bible came from the Holy Spirit Himself. Therefore they weren’t just writing with His guidance or under His authority but were in effect receiving dictation from Him. This idea originated in 2 Tim 3:16 where Paul said, “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God,” (literally, God breathed). This means the words came from God’s mouth into the ear of the writer who transferred them to paper.
This concept was confirmed in 2 Peter 1:21 which says, “For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” I don’t know of a stronger way to convey the authority of the Scriptures.
Monday, May 20, 2013
The Transfiguration of Jesus - Bible Q and As
Reblogged from gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher
Q. I have a question related to the Transfiguration of Jesus. Why did He only take three apostles to witness it instead of taking all twelve?
A. On several occasions, Jesus took His “inner circle” aside for a special event or teaching. This group always included Peter, James, and John and sometimes Andrew was there as well. The transfiguration was one of these events, the Olivet Discourse of Matt 24-25 was another, and the raising of Jairus’ daughter still another. To my knowledge He never explained why He did this, but it had the effect of giving this inner circle an extra measure of intimacy with Him.
There’s a fascinating feature about the transfiguration that’s often overlooked, and it concerns what the attendees represented. There was the voice of the Father, the glorified body of the Son, and the cloud, or Shekinah Glory, the Holy Spirit. All the Trinity was there.
Then you had Moses, giver of the Law and the Prophet Elijah. Together they stand for the Law and Prophets, a name for the Old Testament, and represent Israel.
And finally you had Peter, James and John, representing the New Testament Church.
And the topic of their discussion? According to 2 Peter 1:16-18 it was the Second Coming. Further evidence that in Jesus the faithful of all ages would be restored in the Kingdom.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Have The Birth Pangs Begun? Bible Q and As
Reblogged from gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher
Q. Do the birth pangs described by Jesus in Matthew 24 include the seal and trumpet judgments, or are they intended to precede Daniel’s 70th week? To me, the birth pangs described by Jesus are general enough that they are not exclusive of the seal and trumpet judgments. If we truly are in the throes of labor and labor includes the seal and trumpet judgments, this is one labor for the record books.
A. Scholars are divided as to whether the birth pangs begin before Daniel’s 70th week or whether they’re meant to represent the seal judgments. I think this is due to the fact that the first specific sign of the end times the Lord gave us is the abomination that causes desolation (Matt. 24:15)nwhich won’t appear until the middle of the 70th Week.
Personally I think the birth pangs were intended to begin before the 70th Week because in Matt. 24: 6 Jesus said not to be alarmed by the news of wars and rumors of war because the end is still to come. Then He added the rise of nation against nation, famines and earthquakes in various places saying these are the beginning of birth pangs (Matt. 24:8).
Since both the Lord and Paul compared the end times signs to a woman’s labor, let me continue in that vein by comparing the three stages of labor to the end times signs.
The first stage is called early labor. It’s the longest and least intense of the three stages. This is when a woman first concludes her time of labor is beginning. In my opinion this is what Jesus was describing as wars, rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, etc. I think this is where the world is now.
In the second stage, called active labor, things become more serious. A woman’s contractions become much stronger and more frequent. I believe this stage will begin after the Church is gone, with the introduction of the anti-Christ as the rider on the white horse (Rev. 6:2) followed by the seal and trumpet judgments. This is the first half of Daniel’s 70th Week, the beginning of the time of God’s wrath.
The third stage is called transitional labor. It’s the last, shortest, and most intensive part of a woman’s labor. I believe transitional labor can be compared to the Great Tribulation where the world will experience the bowl judgments which will bring the time of God’s wrath to a conclusion (Rev. 15:1) and set the stage for the Second Coming.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Where Will The Lord Reign? Bible Q´s and A's
Reblogged from gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher
Q. I have a question about the Millennium . Will Jesus reign from the earthly Jerusalem or from the New Jerusalem for those 1,000 years?
A. I think the answer is in Rev. 22:3
The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.
This tells us the throne of the Lamb (Jesus) will be in the holy city. We know it’s on Earth because Rev. 22:1-2 says the great river and the tree of life for the healing of the nations are also in the holy city. These are mentioned in Ezekiel 47 as being on Earth.
I believe the reference to His servants serving Him could relate to the tribulation martyrs of Rev. 7 whose destiny is to serve the Lord in His Temple. There is no temple in the New Jerusalem.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
The Post Rapture World - Bible Q and As
Reblogged from gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher
Q. I understand the fact that after the rapture the Holy Spirit will no longer be sealed within those who become believers. It is however too difficult for me to share this with my brothers and sisters in Christ because they continue to look at the New Testament scriptures for the Church and believe God would not give the sealing of the Holy Spirit to one believer and not another, even if it is a Tribulation saint.
A. The Bible makes it pretty clear that the age of Grace didn’t put an end to the age of Law but instead interrupted it seven years short of its promised fulfillment. This seven years will be fulfilled after the rapture (Daniel 9:24-27, Romans 11:25-26, Acts 15:13-18).
But this idea is hardly ever taught as such in the Church. Because of the tremendous influence of replacement theology (the opinion that Israel was replaced by the church following their rejection of the Messiah) on the Church, even sound evangelical teaching rarely mentions it. Instead, We refer to the seven years as the Tribulation period instead of its proper name, the 70th Week of Daniel. Therefore, most people have been taught that the New Covenant replaced the Old Covenant at the cross and after that everyone receives the seal of the Holy Spirit.
They don’t realize that the New Covenant as we know it ends with the rapture, and after that sacrifices for sin and obedience to the Law will be required again for Israel, along with faith in the Messiah. This will also be the case for Israel during the Millennium (Ezekiel 40-47) even after they receive the New Covenant. For Gentiles in the Millennium it appears that obeying the commandments and holding on to their faith in Jesus will be required along with an annual visit to Israel for the Feast of Tabernacles (Rev. 14:12, Zechariah 14:16-19).
Also, Gentile Christians tend to focus on the Church and not on Israel. You’d be surprised at the number of questions I get about Israel’s return to animal sacrifice and the need for a Temple during Daniel’s 70th week and where Israel will be during the Millennium. These questions are all due to the fact that most people have never been taught about the Millennium from Israel’s perspective. Therefore you shouldn’t be surprised if your friends are not aware of this.
The bottom line is that the Church has a totally unique relationship with the Lord. No group before or after the Church will enjoy such intimacy with Him. Paul said this is so that in the ages yet to come God could demonstrate the incomparable riches of His grace expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus (Ephes. 2:7).
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