themselves. No doctrine is more em phasized in the New Testament than is this one o f our Lord’s return to set up His own kingdom; yes, and in the Old Testament prophecies, as well, concerning His promises to Israel. It is to be regretted that many of the false cults have incorporated some o f this truth in their creeds; but every time, you will note, they have perverted this precious truth. Should their error rob us o f our “ blessed hope” ? Assuredly not, Sa tan is ever alert. He takes Scripture and perverts it, seeking to bring to naught any great work of God. This is definitely true concerning the doc trine of our Lord’s return. As fo r the Scofield Reference Bi ble, it has been used o f God to bless multitudes; and it will continue to be used by Him, critics to the con trary. It is now being revised and the notes will be brought up to date. Remember Dr. Scofield was not a translator. He used the Authorized (King James) text. He merely added comments and did not claim infalli bility. THE TR IN ITY Q. Can you explain the Trinity? I realize that there are three persons in the Triune God. Am I to under stand that the Trinity is a com posite personality? A. The Bible clearly teaches the doc trine of the Trinity, but nowhere does it explain the Trinity. There are some things above reason, and the doctrine o f the Trinity is one of them. Perhaps the expression “ God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit” is somewhat mislead ing, though many Christians use it in all reverence for the Triune God. This might imply that there are three Gods, whereas there are not three Gods, but three persons in one God. A better expression would be: God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Of course, all is beyond our com
prehension. If man’s mind could comprehend the doctrine o f the Trin ity, Christ would doubtless have ex plained it to His disciples. He had the opportunity o f doing so when Philip asked, “ Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us” (John 14 :8 ). But Jesus did not explain how He could be one with the Fa ther, and yet say that He was going to the Father. He threw Philip back on faith, telling him that the Father and Son were identical in character. “ He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14 :9 ). SALVAT ION BY WORKS? Q, I f salvation is all of grace, and works play no part in our redemp tion, then why do we read in Revela tion 22:1U, “ Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they might have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city"? A. Read this verse in the American Standard (Revised) Version (1901) and you will have your answer: “ Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they might have the right to come to the tree o f life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.” Works do not give the right to the tree o f life. It is the grace o f God that cleanses “ our robes” in “ the blood o f the Lamb o f Calvary.” Every believer on the Lord Jesus Christ has right to the tree o f life only on the ground o f His finished redemption. THE DEITY OF CHR IST Q. I have a friend who does not be lieve in the deity of Christ. He says Jesus never claimed to be equal with God. Will you please give me some Scriptures which I can pass on him? A. I can indeed. Take John 4 :26 : “ I that speak unto thee am he [Christ or Messiah]” ; John 5:18 : “ There fore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making Himself equal with God” ; John 5 :46 : “ Moses th e king ' s B usiness
BEG INN ING OF GREAT TR IBULAT ION
Q. Will the great tribulation begin immediately a f t e r the church is translated ? A. N o; it will take place during the last three and one-half years of Daniel’s “ seventieth week” (a period o f seven years). As soon as the church is translated, and the re straining influence of the Holy Spir it working in the church is taken away, then shall “ that wicked one be revealed,” who is the Antichrist. (See II Thessalonians 2:7-10.) He will seem to the ungodly world to be a great peacemaker. To the Jews he will pretend to be their Messiah. He will confirm a covenant with them, and will receive allegiance from them until he sets up his image, in “ the holy place” o f the restored Jewish temple, to be worshipped. Daniel calls this “ the abomination o f deso lation” ; and Christ quotes Daniel, using these very words concerning this event that is to be. An “ abomi nation” to a devout Jew is idolatry; and the believing remnant o f Israel will spurn the pretensions o f the false Messiah. Then the Antichrist and all the hosts o f Satan will turn upon Israel, persecute her; and that will be “ the great tribulation,” of which our Lord spoke. (Compare Daniel 9:27 with Matthew 24:15 and following verses.) The great tribulation will termin ate with the return o f Christ in glo ry to deliver His earthly people. SCOFIELD AN D PRE-M ILLENN IAL ISM Q. My pastor says that the doctrine of the pre-millennial com in g of Christ to the earth is dangerous and fanatical. He told his people not to use the Scofield Reference Bible for this reason. A. Your pastor may be orthodox, fundamental, and true to the Word o f God in other doctrines; if so, he is a real Christian. But my advice to you would be to “ search the scrip tures” for yourself. They speak for 30
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