Question* (continuad) Spirit cam? upon people for certain purposes such as to bring about their salvation. In the New Testament, Elizabeth was still under the old dis pensation, for the age of grace had not yet started. Throughout the time previous to Pentecost the Holy Spirit came upon individuals for certain spe cific purposes. In the New Testament He is given to indwell every believer. Q* S*" Jo*e» California — “Does I Cor inthians 5:5 teach that God w ill anni hilate persons who comm it certain sins?” A. This Greek church in Coiinth had evidentally reached to the very base depths of immorality. The verse, “To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction ,of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, ’ does not teach annihila tion, nor does any part of Scripture. This has to do with church discipline. If a man will not rectify the sinful ness of his own ways, itm a y be neces sary for the Lord to call him hnme, away from the evil pathway he has followed. He will suffer physical death, but he certainly will not be annihi- lated. This man did respond to the dis cipline and God used it to restore him. There is a vast difference between a sheep and a pig. If you put a sheep out of the fold it looks wistfully and seeks to get back into the fold. But if a pig is put out he roots about in any old mud hole for he has no nature like the sheep. Q . San Diego, California — “What does the Scripture, mean when it speaks of a person looking back and not being fit fo r the kingdom of God?” A. This is taken from Luke 9:57-62. Our Lord contacted three “would-be” disciples. One wanted to come right on, “I’ll follow Thee whithersoever thou goest.” He didn’t consider the cost. The Lord Jesus said, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the heaven have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” He was “Mr.
Too-Fast.” The second, however, was “Mr. Too-Slow.” He said, “Lord, suf fer me first to bury my father.” Jesus said, “Let the dead (that'is the spirit ually dead), bury their dead (their own physically dead): but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.” On his own volition, the third said, “I will follow thee, but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.” He is “Mr. Too-Soft” The Lord said, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” The work of the Lord Jesus Christ requires •all of a, man’s heart, devotion, and sa cred commitment. Any man who puts relative, loved one, or any other con sideration above the Lord Jesus Christ, is not worthy of discipleship. Q . Oakland, California — “Can a Jew ish person be saved when h e dies without accepting Jesus as his Saviour?” A. Perhaps this person is th in k in g of the Jewish nation and not.an individ ual. Israel will be saved at a later date. In this dispensation, however, salvation is all extremely and exclusively per sonal. The Jewish nation has been set aside temporarily. A Jewish person will not be saved if he dies without " accepting Jesus Christ, nor will a Gen tile individual. All are judged on ex actly the same basis: by accepting Jesus Christ as Messiah and Saviour. Q . Santa Cruz, California — “M any times I’ve heard or read about some professed Christian giving his sacred promise that he would do something if God spared his life, or if H e bestowed on him some particular blessing. Can our Creator thus be bargained w ith? Is this a Scripturcd ground on which to pray?” A. The issue revolves on the spirit in which the sacred promise is given. The only prayer God will answer from an unsaved man is, “Lord be merciful to me a sinner and save me for Christ’s sake.” But, for a believer, there is nothing unscriptural in making a cove nant with the Lord as long as we real- 26
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