QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS with Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland, President, the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Inc. and Dr. Charles L. Femberg, Dean, Talbot Theological Seminary
bilities, experience and talents, as well as other factors. If he is still young enough, he should continue training in a good Bible school to be prepared more adequately for the ministry. On the other hand, remember you can preach Christ from places other than the pulpit. Maybe the Lord would have you make a living in some other way, devoting your spare time to work in your church where the Gospel is pro claimed. There are many people in the world today who are wonderful Chris tian leaders, giving their lives in com plete devotion to Him, although their main livelihood is made in some secu lar avenue of service. They are giv ing their lives unstintingly in the vol unteer service of the Lord Jesus Christ. “Will the saints of the Old Testament times be resur rected when Jesus returns for His own? Actually the Bible just says, ‘them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring toith him.’ Are the Old Testament saints sleeping in Jesus?” A. This is an interesting subject. A number of fine Bible teachers believe that the Old and New Testament saints will be in the same company a t the time of the rapture. They feel that they are “in Christ” by way of anticipation or prospect of looking forward. They looked forward to the cross and the Lord’s finished work there. Personally, we do not believe that the saints of the Old Testament are in the rapture. I Corinthians 15 23 Q . Redding, California —
Q . Phoenix, Arizona — “ Does the New Testament say that one of the signs of the last days loill be an increase of taxation? I have heard that there is a reference in the Bible to ‘raiser of taxes.’ ” A. Matthew was known as a tax col lector which is what “raiser of taxes” means. Such people were also called publicans or public servants. They had the responsibility to secure taxes on certain portions of the land, paying these fees to the Roman government. The indication clearly shows that they always collected far more than they had a right to. Generally they pock eted some of the money, as has been true with some in public life down through the centuries. There is no statement, however, which tells us that taxation will be a sign of the last days. You may be thinking of James 5:1-8 which gives a very general pic ture of such persecution of the rich. We know that there will be an increase in population throughout the world in the last times which will necessi tate an increase in governmental taxation. We can only expect to see these things on the increase. Q . Denver, C o lorad o — “Once I felt catted to preach and began to do so. But I didn’t seem, to fit into the min istry so I quit. Now 1 feel guilty and 1 wonder what I should do.” A. This is a difficult question, since we do not know the age and health of the inquirer, his family responsi
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