then who are the ones whom Satan deceives when he is hosed for a short time at the end of the millennium?” A. The Lord Jesus is going to cast out all that doth offend. Saints from Israel and the saved of this age, known as the bride of Christ, will rule with Him. The answer is found in Isaiah 65:18-20 with a particular emphasis upon that last verse. This tells us that there will not be eradi cation of sin in the millennium. There will be parents bringing chil dren into the world who will be un saved as they are today. There will be punishment for the wicked, too. The ages of people there will be not just 70 or 80 but rather 1000 years. Some have wondered how there can be people in the millennium with res urrection bodies as well as those whose bodies are normal by today's standards. This is the same way it was for 40 days after the resurrec tion of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Saviour ate with the disciples, fel lowshipping, and speaking with them. It was on a plane whereby they could understand Him just as they did be fore His death. Q . San Francisco, Calif. — “During our family Bible study our children, ages 17 and 15, asked, ‘I f God knows who’s going to be saved and who will not be saved, why then does He allow the unsaved to be born? I f He knew Adam and Eve were going to fall into sin, why did He create them in the first place?’ ” A. These are significant questions concerning God’s permission of sin in the world. It’s one of the greatest of all theological mysteries. No one with a mere finite mind can even begin to comprehend the breadth of it. Keep in mind that the Lord didn’t make man as a machine but a creature with a will of his own. God desires love not of compulsion. I would say the best way to solve problems like this is to consider such helpful verses as Ro
mans 11:36. As difficult as it is to understand why these things were allowed, these truths reside in the infinite mind of God. The plan could be worked out permitting sin and proving a way of salvation. This He doubtless feels is the best method of indicating His loving heart toward all mankind. Many theologians for centuries have written voluminously on the subject but no one has the final answer. It is reserved definitely for our fuller and complete knowl edge in heaven. Q . Los Altos, Calif. — " If Biola is a member of the National Council of Churches please advise me. I do not wish to give money to any school that is. Also, what do you think of the ecumenical movement?” A. Biola is not, nor has it ever been, a member of the N.C.C. This body claims to represent Protestantism in our country today. We do not believe that it is a Biblical movement in any way whatsoever. Leaders in large measure have repudiated the funda mental truths of the Word of God, denying its power and inerrancy. The ecumenical movement is that which seeks to point toward the unification of various denominations and a fu ture aligning with the Roman Cath olics. Many of the large Protestant denominations are officially members of the N.C.C. with its emphasis on ecumenicity. There are still some fine churches which, because of their de nominational affiliation, are members of the National Council. We are not making this a wholesale criticism. It is the movement itself which we believe is not in conformity to the Word of God. How can a person who believes the Bible, the virgin birth of Christ, the miracles of our Lord, the substitutionary a tonem en t of of Christ, the bodily resurrection, and others of these cardinal truths join up with those who deny any or all of them? The history of ecumen- 27
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