Q. Recently I heard someone on the radio teaching that the ones respon sible for the death of Christ were all of the tribe of Judah, or Jews, and that Israel was not there at the time. What system is this, and is this con tention true? A. The system which so teaches is known as British or Anglo-Israelism. Its doctrines belong to the category of those which the. Apostle Paul called “ fables” (I Tim. 1:4; II Tim. 4:4; Titus 1:14). Without Scrip tural, historical, archeological, or an thropological evidence, th i s sect seeks to identify the ten tribes of the northern kingdom, Israel, with Britain and America and the church. The terms “ Jews” and “ Israelites” are used interchangeably in the Word of God. When Peter preached his famous sermon on the Day of Pentecost, he said, “ Ye men of Ju dea, and all ye that dwell at Jeru salem . . . Ye men of Israel, hear these words . . . all the house of Israel (Acts 2:14, 22, 23, 36). Since he was preaching to Jews, men of Israel, and all the house of Israel, how can it be said that only those of the tribe of Judah had anything to do with the crucifixion of Christ? The truth is that both Jews and Gentiles were accountable — the Jews condemning Him to death, and the Romans (Gentiles) executing the order. So the whole world is guilty before God. Through the death of Christ He has provided salvation for all who will believe, whether Jews or Gentiles. In Acts we read (4:26-28) that the people of Israel were united to destroy Christ. When Paul spoke be fore Agrippa, he said, “ Unto which promise our twelve tribes ” (showing that all of them were in the land at the time). In James too (1:1) the twelve tribes are mentioned. Jew and Israelite actually became sy nonymous terms about the time of the captivity. In the New Testament the same people who are called Jews 174 times are called Israel 75 times!
Gentile Christians are only spirit ual children of Abraham. The cove nants have to do with an earthly people and an earthly land, the Jews or Israel, and the Holy Land. Israel is not the church, although the church today is composed of saved Jews and Gentiles. The Word o f God cannot be understood without the proper allocation of its teachings to the three categories: “ the Jews, the Gentiles . . . the church of God” (I Cor. 10:32). THE M EAN IN G OF "H A T E " Q. I am troubled about the state ments in Luke 14:25-35, especially the expression in verse 26 which reads: “ 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 disciple.” A. We know from many other Scrip tures that the word hate cannot mean malice, aversion, detestation, repugnance, antipathy or any of the ordinary synonyms for hatred. We are exhorted even to love our ene mies and to do good to those that hate us, for Christ’s sake; men are told to love their wives as Christ loved the church, etc. This verse has to do with disciple- ship, with following Christ and do ing His will and work. A disciple is a learner. If one.is to be a true dis ciple, the Lord must be first in his heart and in his life. We are not to love anyone — even the dearest to us by the ties of blood — more than we love the Lord and His will. Th.e paraphrase in the Amplified Version is helpful here: “ If any one comes to Me, and does not hate his (own) father and mother (that is, in the sense o f indifference to or relative disregard for them in com parison with his attitude toward God) and (likewise) his wife and children and brothers and sisters (yes) and even his own life also, he cannot by my disciple.” Hate in this verse really means love less.
UNANSWERED PRAYERS Q. Why are our prayers not an swered, sometimes after we have prayed for many years? A. There can be many reasons. Of course if our motive is wrong, God will not answer. James 4:3 makes this clear. But even when our pur pose is right and we pray according to what we believe to be the will of God, we must still leave the matter in His hands and if He does not an swer acording to our request, we must believe it is for a reason known to Him alone. Faith enters into prayer, yet we are told to “pray without ceasing.” K ILLING Q. Is killing in war murder like any other taking of life ? What about the 6th commandment? A. The commandment “ Thou shalt not kill” refers to murder which comes out of personal hate. Killing in war—horrible as it is— is not the same. If a criminal invaded your home, you would be glad to have a policeman to take care of him. It is the same thing in regard to war. Some day there shall be no more war when Christ comes and rules and reigns, but until that day we are to obey the laws of the land and live as peaceably a possible. CONVERSAT ION ON MT. OF TRANSFIGURAT ION Q. Could I be right that on the Mt. of Transfiguration Moses and Elijah discussed with Christ the removal of the saints in Paradise to Heaven as described in Ephesians 4:8? A. It may have been. We do know for sure that Moses and Elijah talked with Him about His forth coming death for in Luke 9 :30-31 we read: “ And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.”
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THE KING 'S BUSINESS
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