Panel Discussions
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(Interesting questions sent in by radio listeners)
Q . El Centro, California — “Is it wrong for a Christian to serve on a jury?” A. To begin with, we must read the 13th chapter of Romans. This Scripture does not pertain directly to serving in the church, but it does point, very def initely, to our relationship to the au thorities, both civil and judicial, of our land and of our communities. We are to recognize that the civil powers are ordained of God. Further more, we are to take our place in the civil life of a community and a nation. We believe that a Christian should serve on a jury — it is a part of our God-given privilege in this Country. If we want to keep our various freedoms, such as right of trial by jury, I would be ashamed, as a Christian, to have this protection and then give some doubt ful excuse to evade service. Remember, these freedoms have been won through much effort and sacrifice! Q , San Diego, California — “What is the difference between an elder and a bish op?” A. The answer to this question is an easy one to find — there is no differ ence. An elder — the Greek word is presbuteros—has reference to age qual ification. The individual must be ma ture in experience. In Israel, when there were spiritual matters upon which they must decide, they didn’t do that with novices. So the elder has the thought of maturity and judgment. The word bishop is from the Greek word Episkopos •— he is an overseer. You will find Paul meeting the elders at Miletus (Acts 20:17) and when he wrote to his son in the faith — Timo thy, he cautioned him in I Timothy 3:1, 2, to be careful how he would
choose the overseers. Now these two offices in the church are found in Phil- ippians 1:1 — the bishops and deacons. That is Biblical church government, the bishops (or elders) and deacons. Q , Santa Maria, California — “Does a Christian have to live according to the Commandments of the Law?” A. We take it that they mean the Ten Commandments here. The Ten Com mandments were given to the Jews, they were the moral code by which the Jews were to conduct themselves. In the New Testament, every one of the Ten Commandments was repeated in some way in connection with .the Christian’s conduct except the one that has to do with their worship on the Sabbath day. There is no reference in the New Testament, whatever, as to worshipping on the Seventh day! Paul went into the synagogue on the Sab bath, as we read in the Acts, but he went there because that is where the Jews had congregated and he wanted to talk with them. Certainly, he did not go there to worship on the seventh day. Paul wanted to present the claims of the Lord Jesus Christ to the Jews. So we do not serve the Ten Com mandments as such except as they are repeated in the New Testament for Christian usage and guidance. Q . Pear Blossom, California — “Why was Jesus baptized?” A. There is a great deal of comment of our Lord Jesus Christ when He came to be baptized of John the Baptist. As a matter of fact, John indicated that he, rather than Christ, should be baptized. In Matt. 3:14 John said, “. . . I have (continued on next page)
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