fish, He could create one large enough to swallow a man.
myself to be turned away from that object by my father, my mother, my wife, my children, then I am not worthy of the Lord Jesus, and can never be His disciple so long as this condition o f heart remains. The term means “ love less.” This text does not teach that “ nat ural” relationships, as such, are to be repudiated; but Christ must be “ first,” and His claims set before all else, even one’s own life. UNSAVED SINGERS Q. Can solos or special numbers sung by unbelievers be used to the glory o f God? A. God is not limited. He can use these things to His glory as He can use a piece of dirty paper, if it happens to have the gospel written or printed upon it. If anyone reads and believes it, he will surely be saved, despite the dirt upon the paper. Thus an unsaved person might even preach the gospel, and anyone hearing it, and believing it will be saved. This does not mean that it is right to employ unsaved singers or preachers to minister in the holy things of God. This is con trary to the Word of God. JONAH AND THE WHALE Q. Do you believe that Jonah was really swallowed by a whale? A . I believe that Jonah was swal lowed by a “ great fish” as recorded in Jonah 1:17; 2:1-10; “ a sea mon ster” (Matt. 12:39, 40). No miracle in Scripture has incited so much unbelief. This has been a bone of contention fo r many years fo r critics have maintained that a whale did not have a gullet large enough to swallow a herring, let alone a man. These critics have been enlightened o f later years for they have learned that there are large fish, even whales if you please, that have gul lets large enough to swallow two or three men. I f God could prepare a
W H A T ABOU T REVELATION 22:14?
Q. I f salvation is all o f grace, and works play no part in our redemp tion, then why do we read in Revela tion 22:1b, “ Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree o f life, and may enter in through the gates into the city” ? A . Read this verse in the American Standard Revised Version, and you will have your answer: “ Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.” Works do not give the right to the tree of life. It is the grace of 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. FIRST TH INGS FIRST Q. Luke 14:26 has always puzzled me. Our God is a God o f love, and we are told to “ love one another," yet here we read, “ I f any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my dis ciple. A . You will find a parallel passage in Matthew 10:37 which explains this statement. There Christ says, “ He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy o f me: and he that loveth son or daughter is not worthy o f me.” These words show that the Lord is not talking of an “ actual” hatred, but rather o f what would “ seem” hatred by way o f comparison with the God-given love, implanted in the heart o f the born-again child of God, implanted there by the Holy Spirit alone. If I desire to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, yet allow
BAPTISM OF TH E SPIRIT Q. You say we are baptized with the Holy Spirit the moment we are bom again. Please explain why the disci ples were baptized with the Spirit after they were saved? A. The disciples lived both before and after the Day of Pentecost. And it was on that memorable day nearly two thousand years ago that the church began, when the Holy Spirit came upon believers with miraculous power. That day’s experience was in fulfillment of our Lord’s express promise. Listen to such words as these: “ The Holy Spirit was not yet giv en; because that Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7 :39 ). “ It is expedient fo r you that I go away,” He said to His disciples; “ for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” (John 16: 7 ). “ And, behold, I send thé promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24 :49). (Compare Acts 1:4, 5, 8.) So, you see, the disciples were al ready born again by faith in Christ before the Holy Spirit came on the Day o f Pentecost. That is why they had the added experience of the bap tism of the Holy Spirit. But all who have been born again after Pentecost have been baptized with the Spirit the moment they were saved. For proof of this, note that the three thousand souls who were added to the believers on the Day o f Pente cost did not have to wait at all for the baptism o f the Holy Spirit. (See Acts 2.) In Galatians 3:13, 14 we read that Christ hung on the ac cursed tree, “ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Dozens of Scriptures might be quoted to furnish evidence o f this truth.
THE KING'S BUSINESS
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