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Panel Discussions
(Interesting questions sent in by radio listeners)
Q . Madison, Wisconsin — “Jesus said., ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away,’ in Matthew 24:25. While in Ecclesias tes 1:40 we read, ‘But the earth abideth forever.’ How can you explain this contradiction?” A. It is only a seeming contradiction! Heaven and earth shall pass away is the word of our Lord Jesus in a di rect prophetic discourse. The book of the Revelation gives this same truth. Ecclesiastes 1:4 indicates one genera tion comes and one generation goes but the earth abideth forever. Reading through the book of Ecclesiastes one realizes that it is natural wisdom rea soning things out in the world, as they look from a human viewpoint. That is why the phrase, “Under the sun” occurs frequently. This is man’s reasoning without divine revelation. The word “forever,” in some cases, has a time limitation. In Jonah 2:6, the prophet said, “The earth with her bars was- about me forever.” Jonah speaks of it from his viewpoint. Q . Denver, Colorado — “Does the soul sleep until the day of judgment or does it go to be with Christ at death?” A. Some cults teach the false idea of “soul sleeping.” That is, when a per son dies his soul goes into the grave with his body where it remains in an unconscious state until the time of res urrection. Scripture very definitely teaches no such thing. Paul said, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” “For I am in a strait betwixt two, hav ing a desire to depart, and to be with Christ which is far better: Neverthe less, to abide in the flesh is more need ful for you” (Philippians 1:21, 23, 24). At the time of the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour said to
the believing thief, “Today thou shalt be with me in Paradise.” The body was to be laid away in the grave, while the soul followed Christ. There is no in dication of soul sleeping there. As soon as a Christian, a believer, dies the body is laid away in the grave, but the spirit goes to be with the Lord. It is the body which will be resurrected at the time of the rapture of the church (I Thessa- lonians 4:13-18). Q . San Diego, California — -“I have won dered why we are exhorted to pray if the Lard already knows the end from the beginning. Do we pray to change His mind? I do not mean to be sac- religious but this has bothered me a great deal.” A. Many people have wondered about this, it is true. We are not changing God’s mind, however, for the Lord knows what He is doing. But in His faithfulness and wonderful providence, in His sovereign will, He wants us to pray. “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Fa ther may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it” (John 14:13, 14). “Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you: For everyone that ask- eth receiveth; and he that seeketh find- eth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matthew 7:7-11). (continued on next page)
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