RADIO QUESTIONS
Q . Pueblo, Colorado — “In Luke 13:24 we read, ‘Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.’ How do we reconcile this with salva tion by grace?” A. The strait gate is the disciplined way. It means the one who does not follow the broad road of worldly pleas ure and self-indulgence. Striving to enter in is a thing of grace in itself for at the very initial point there must be faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. God expects us to heed His exhortations of the New Testament to exert ourselves in grace, to be well pleasing in His sight. It is not salvation by works but an exhortation to spiritual maturity following salvation. Q . Albany, Oregon — “In Acts 15:14 we read, ‘Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.’ Were all people Gentiles at first and the Jews taken from them?” A. There is a need to understand dis- pensational history as a basis to give the background of this question. All people were Gentiles from the time of Adam and Eve, through the flood, when the world was again populated by Noah and his family. Then God called out one individual, Abraham by name, and from him there arose the Jewish nation. It is the Jewish nation that is dealt with in the entire dispen sation of the law, including most of the books of the Old Testament. The Jews were temporarily set aside as a nation as, in this age of grace, God is calling out from the people of the world, both Jew and Gentile, the Church of Jesus Christ. Now there are three great groups in the world from a Scriptural point of view: Jew, Gen tile and the Church. The Church is made up of both Jews and Gentiles,
all who put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. During the millennium the Jews, as a nation, once again will become the prominent nation. Actually from Jacob came the Jewish nation. Q . Denver, Colorado — “Aside from the manner in which a church grows and profits or remains static and languishes by either the spiritual development or undernourishment of its members, is there anything in Scripture concerning the membership of today’s churches in general that we who name the name of Christ fail to obey?” A. The first and primary aspect would be a reverent, close and humble read ing of the epistles of the New Testa ment making sure that our practice harmonizes with God’s truth. Then there should be a complete submission, as suggested in such verses as Romans 12:1, 2, wholly and completely unto the Lord. Finally as I Peter 3:18 sug gests we should press toward spiritual growth and maturity in Christ. Church statistics tend to lower us into com placency. Millions of dollars are being spent for new structures which may be needed, however, the membership of the church is brought into wonder ful and constant conformity with the exhortations of the Spirit of God through practice not promotion and programs. We are not to judge a church’s ultimate spiritual temperature by outward or external features. Q. Memphis, Tennessee — “Is there a Scripture reference which tells us how our body w ill be resurrected at Chrisfs second coming if it is burned in a fire?” A. No Scripture specifically states that. In Philippians 3:20 and 21, we read, “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who
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