one can support a church where the truth is not preached. It may be that in some instances a person can still have some influence through teach ing or testimony and reach some who otherwise would receive nothing spiritual or scriptural. It is uphill work to be a bright and shining light under these circumstances. If people love the Word and a pastor continues to deny the Gospel, they cannot long remain to hear such denials and certainly would not want their children subjected to them. WHAT IS THE SCAPEGOAT? Q. Tell me once more what is the meaning of the scapegoat in Leviti cus 16? A. I do not wonder why you say “ once again,” for this question comes up very frequently. It was a type— as were all the animal sacrifices—of the Saviour, Sin-Bearer, the Lord Jesus Christ, who came to take away the sins of the world. There were two goats and both were for sin offering. They represented the two aspects of the work done on Cal vary : the first goat representing His death and the second, laden with sins and driven into the wilderness, the wonderful effect of the death of Christ as He took away sin, put it out of the sight of God, and remem bered it against us no more forever! It also refers to the resurrection— as the scapegoat remained alive. The same thing was true of the two birds, one being slain, the other fly ing away and thus bearing sins away on its wings. These are types which were perfectly fulfilled in the aton ing work of Christ. The Seventh-day Adventists have distorted this truth, claiming that the scapegoat repre sents Satan who eventually is to be the sin-bearer. They claim the word azazel means the devil, but actually it means to dismiss, to depart. Satan has nothing to do with our salvation. By Christ’s death and resurrection his doom was sealed and already he is a defeated foe.
kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever, Amen” does not occur. A. Yes, this is true. The Authorized Version (King James) includes this sentence, but the very reliable Amer ican Standard Version of 1901 omits it. J. B. Rotherham and J. N. Darby, both leave it out of their transla tions and of course the Catholic Douay Version does not include it so that Catholics do not use it in their services. Apparently there was a question whether it actually ap peared in the original texts. One would need to go into a detailed study to satisfy himself in this re gard. It should not cause any con cern. There are thousands of verses in the Bible to assure us that “ His is the glory and the power and the kingdom.” Not every passage needs to include this for us to know these truths. TRIALS OF LIFE Q. Are the trials of life the judg ment of God upon Christians for their sins and faults? Is that what is meant in I Peter U:12-19? A. No. This covers the whole area of the sufferings of Christians. If Christians suffer for their wrongdo ing, God will discipline them for this, as stated in Hebrews 12:5-11. His purpose is to purify and correct His own. He wants His church to be “without spot or wrinkle” (Ephe- sions 5:27). But the ordinary trials of life are merely tests for us that we may learn to depend upon the Lord for strength, and wisdom, and guidance. These come to all and should not be looked upon as chast ening but rather as an opportunity for the development of our Christian life and faith. LIBERAL CHURCHES Q. Should all Christians get out of liberal churches? A. This is a matter between them and the Lord. I do not see how any
THE SON OF PERDITION Q. Was Judas saved before he was lost ? A. There is not the slightest sugges tion in any portion of Scripture to intimate that Judas was ever a saved man. In fact, the very contrary is taught. In John 6:64, 65 we read: “ But there are some of you that be lieve not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that be lieved not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.” Here we learn that Judas, with the others who rejected Him, was an unbeliever. Then the Lord Jesus added these words, re corded in the same chapter: “ Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” (John 6:70). He also called Judas “ the son of perdition” (John 17:12). MEANING OF "6 66 " Q. What does “ 666” in Revelation 18:17-18 mean? A. It refers to Antichrist who will be revealed after the rapture of the church. It is not his name, but a clue to his identity. It simply shows him to be man, not God, in spite of his pretensions. He will try to usurp the place of Christ but those who live in that day are told plainly he is but a man. Six is the name of man and seven the number of Deity, of com pleteness, of perfection. Over the years people have tried to make these numbers mean many people from Nero to Khrushchev, but these in terpretations are erroneous. Anti christ will not be revealed until the church is taken out of the world. LORD'S PRAYER Q. Why is the Lord’s Prayer differ ent in various translations? In some I understand that “ For thine is the
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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