Q. Davison, Mich. "/ often won der why it was that God was dis pleased with the offering Cain brought. Can you help me to un derstand this?" A. There is no doubt but that, with Abel, he was taught about the proper blood sacrifices which were required of his parents. We find that the Lord God made "coats of skins and clothed them" (Genesis 3:21). This required an innocent animal to be slain as the proper substitute. Both young men un doubtedly knew what God re quired. Cain, in the hardness of his heart, refused to do what he had been commanded. No one can ap pease the Lord through the works of his own hands. "Without shed ding of blood is no remission" (Hebrews 9:22). Q. Victoria, B.C. "Some people call others 'legalists' who take a stand on almost anything question able. From a biblical perspective, what actually determines a legal ist?" A. We are living in an age of pre vailing permissiveness. This is why it is proper to get a scriptural def inition of this term. Basically, a legalist is one who is trying to achieve merit with God through his personal works. No one can ever enter heaven in this manner (John 14:6). We know that by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in God's sight. This is the strict and proper interpretation which we should keep in mind. Without proper rules for order we would have anarchy. There is noth ing wrong with right guidelines, as long as we do not establish any of
them to represent even the small est fraction of a means to bring salvation. Q. Los Angeles, Calif. "What will the Holy Spirit's ministry be after the Rapture of the Church?" A. While we are not told specifi cally we know that He came upon men in Old Testament times to empower and energize them for service. This doubtless will be a primary function following our be ing taken to glory (I Thessalonians 4:13-18). Q. Lapeer, Mich. "When the word 'Jew' is used, does it refer to a na tionality or to a race? In this age, is it not true that whoever accepts Christ becomes like a Jew since we then are God's 'chosen people'?" A. There has been a great deal of confusion on this point. The Bible must be our final authority. Gene sis 12:1-3 gives us the answer. God had called Abram out of Ur of the Chaldees and was told that He would make of him a "great nja- tion." Even in the time of King Saul, Israel realized that they were a nation. They urged Samuel, "Make us a king who shall rule over us like all the other nations." There is, of course, a sense in which "na tion" is often equated with "race." Strictly speaking, however, this should be for divisions such as Caucasian, Black, etc. Israel or Jew is not a religion. There are many who call themselves Jews who do not give adherence to either or thodox, conservative or reformed Judaism. The term refers to a na tionality since this is what God wanted. The human family, coming Page 9
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