Panel Distussions
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(Interesting questions sent in by radio listeners)
Q . San Diego, California — “What did Paul mean in I Corinthians 7:6, ‘But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment!’ Does it indicate the Bible is not verbally inspired? A. The seventh chapter of I Corinthi ans concerns marriage and divorce. The apostle Paul states, “To the rest say I, not the Lord.” Look at the mar ginal references for wherever he says, “Not I, but the Lord,” you will find the direct statements in the Gospels. When the Apostle indicates, “To the rest say I, not the Lord,” he is now by the Spirit of God, giving additional explanation or revelation. If God only wanted us to have what the Lord Jesus Christ gave us, there wouldn’t be any thing after the Gospel of John. There is no denial of inspiration here. The entire chapter is verbally inspired. Q . Billings, Montana — “Where are the three heavens mentioned in the Bible?” A. There are numerous mentions of heaven or heavens in the Scriptures. The context must be studied carefully in order to understand which one is being talked about. F o r instance, Psalms 104:12, “By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habita tion which sing among the branches.” Here reference is made to our cloudy atmosphere. This refers to the first heaven. The same is true of the reference in Genesis 7:11." In Deuteronomy 17:3 there is a ref erence to the second heaven or the starry firmament, “And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded.” In Psalm 119:89, however, there is
the reference to God’s dwelling place or the third heaven. “For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.” This is the very throne of God. Q . Billings, Montana — “I f Ezekiel 38 deals with Russia and Palestine in the future, why are such antiquated imple ments as horses and swords used? Why does it not speak of bombs, guns and other modern means?” A. We read, “And I will turn thee back, and put hooks in thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, with bucklers and shields, all of them han dling siwords” (Ezekiel 38:4). Ezekiel prophesied at least two and a half mil lenniums ago. If words translated jets, bombers, or atomic warfare were used, up to two and a half decades ago, no one would comprehend what was meant. The words which the Holy Spirit did select connote war; they represent bloodshed a n d fighting. (Keep in mind that swords, bayonets, and horses, are still familiar.) Q . Tacoma, Washington — “In the light of cremation I wonder if you could please explain Amos 2:1 to me.” A. Amos was a prophet, a contempo rary of Isaiah. The verse reads, “Thus saith the Lord: For three transgres sions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; be cause he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime.” A positive scrip tural doctrine concerning the subject of cremation cannot be based on such a verse. This portion speaks of the judgment of God against the sinful (Continued on next page) 17
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