H D r\ T Q u e s t i o B o x
WHO IS IN THE CHURCH? Q. The Apostles’ Creed states, “I be lieve in the Catholic church.” I know this word Catholic has no reference to the Roman Catholic Church, but that it means “ universal.” But isn’t this a contradiction, for the word church means “ called out ones.” Isn’t this something like saying, “a round, square object” ? A. Perhaps. But in the usual under standing of the term, it simply means to born-again Christians that the true church of Jesus Christ is made up of believers from every tongue and tribe and nation and denomination. The church is not limited to one locality, to one body, but as you know every one who truly belongs to Christ, who has received Him as Lord and Sav iour, is a part of the bride of Christ, the body of Christ, the true church. EXTENT OF SEPARATION Q. Please explain Romans 12:12: “ It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.” A. In this connection please read the discussion in Romans 14 in regard to the eating of meat sacrificed, or set aside, for idols. Paul made it plain that Christians were not under law about this, for the idol was nothing, and the meat set aside for him, was nothing. But if this would hurt a Christian brother, and weaken his faith, the meat was not to be eaten. We do not face this question in our day but the principle is just the same, and there are many areas in the Christian life where the word “meat” can stand for something else, and we should say with Paul: “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend” (I Cor. 8:13). The good of another — the value of his soul — meant more to Paul than all the “T- bone” steaks in the world.
God told him to place the book of the law “ by the side of the ark of the covenant” (not “ in the side of the ark of the covenant,” as we read in the Authorized Version). See Deut. 31:24-26, R.V. The ten command ments were kept in the ark; but the scrolls of parchment, or vellum, upon which the books of the Bible were written, were kept in the Holy of Holies “ by the side of the ark of the covenant.” Later on, during the apos tasy of Israel, the long-hidden Scrip tures were discovered in God’s House, opened, and read to the people. As, one by one, the inspired books were written, they were put with the books of Moses. Then it was that Ezra and his company of devout Jews compiled the whole Old Testament Assuredly God overruled the work, and guided as to arrangement in the divine order. And certainly Christ ac knowledged it to be the inspired Word of God. See Luke 24:27. WAS ESAU LOST? Q. Was it because Jacob was so much better that God chose him over Esau? Does this mean that Esau was lost? A. God’s choice of Jacob was arbi trary, yet it was based on what God, in His sovereignty, could foresee. Jacob was crooked, but he did not despise the birthright which held the promise of the Redeemer, and event ually got “ straightened out” by the Lord. This has nothing whatsoever to do with salvation, eternal life, heaven or hell, but dealt solely with the promised earthly seed and the choice of an ancestor for the Lord Jesus Christ. We trust that Esau was saved. Predestination and election have to do with the saved, not the lost. As Christians, we are predestined “ to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29), and “unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).
THE CHURCH IN PROPHECY Q. Please explain I Cor. 15:52. Does it not teach that the church will go through the tribulation, even to the last of the trumpet judgments de scribed in Rev. 8:11? A. I Cor. 15:52 has nothing to do with the trumpet judgments of Rev. 8:11. It describes the first resurrec tion and the translation of the church, which take place before the Anti christ is revealed on earth. Note the words, addressed to Christians: “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incor ruptible, and we shall be changed” (I Cor. 15:51, 52). Compare this pas sage with I Thess. 4:13-18, which re fers to the same event, and calls the “ trumpet” the “trump of God.” The seven trumpet judgments of Revelation are sounded by angels; “ the trump of God” will call the church home. Perhaps it will be just the word “Come,” even as we read in Rev. 4:1 the message to John, “ Come up hither.” This call to John is prophetic of the call of the church when the Lord translates His bride. Everything from Rev. 4:1 on to the end of the book has to do with events which will take place after the rap ture of the church, including the seven trumpet judgments. THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE Q. Who compiled, or put together, the Old Testament Canon? A. The Bible does not tell us, but tradition says that Ezra and a com pany of men known as “ The Great Synagogue,” devout Jews, compiled the Old Testament. Moses, we know, wrote the first five books of the Bible, as the Holy Spirit inspired him. These books are often called “ The Law.” At the close of his life, Moses wrote, saying that
THE KING'S BUSINESS
36
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker