Were the gifts of the church described in First Corinthians 12 , including healing and tongues, removed from the church, and if so, when did they cease? I f the early church needed them, are they not needed even more in these latter days? My understanding of God’s Word is that all of these sign gifts were re moved when the full written revelation of God’s Word was completed. I believe Paul is referring to this when he states, “ Whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge [supernatural knowledge], it shall van ish away . . . But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away” (1 Cor. 13:8, 10). The gifts that remain are listed in Ephesians 4:11: “Apostles . . . evange lists . . . pastors and teachers.” The apostles are with us in their writings; and we have evangelists, pastors and teachers, and these, Paul further states, are “ For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man” (Eph. 4:12,13). The reason these gifts were withdrawn is that they were signs needed then to prove that God was in the gospel that was being preached. However, this fact has now been established, and our proof is in a completed Holy Scriptures which bear sufficient witness to God’s truth. Jews who receive Christ are often called “Jewish Christians.” Are we not told that there is neither Jew nor Gen tile when we are in Christ? It is true that we are all one as be lievers in Christ and that this distinc tion is not Scriptural. However, because of the fact that it is a rare occurrence for Jews to accept Christ, they are often designated as Jewish Christians. How ever, the more correct title is Hebrew Christians, since the word Jew denotes Judaism. Can a Christian be a soldier? Is it right for him to go to, war? Did not John the Baptist teach pacifism when he told the soldiers “Do violence to no man” (Luke 3:14)? Certainly a Christian can be a soldier. M A Y , 1 9 4 9
Dr. L. T. Talbot
God has placed government in the earth as Homans 13 makes clear; soldiers, policemen, judges—all are law enforce ment officers and will be held responsible to God for just administration of law. I believe it is right for Christians to go to war on behalf of weaker peoples. John the Baptist did not mean that soldiers were not to fight at the call of duty, but that they were not to use their office to settle personal scores and griev ances. I f John had been teaching paci fism, he would have told them to get out of the Boman army, but he did not. An evangelist in our town stated that a person could break every one of the Ten Commandments and still be saved. Is that right? Yes, it is. Jesus taught that the first commandment was to love God with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength, and that the second commandment was to love our neighbors as ourselves. He declared that upon these two hung all the law and the prophets. Yet there is not a single person who ever lived who has kept these two commandments. But uncounted millions of just such sinners will be forever with God, because they have trusted the Saviour of sinners, who died to save us from our sins. Salva tion is by grace, not by law. What is meant by Hebrews 4 : 8 : “For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of an other day” ? I thought Jesus always gave rest if we trusted Him. The translators made an error in using the name Jesus here instead of Joshua which it should be. Joshua is the Hebrew equivalent for the word Jesus which is the Greek form. It is very mis leading. The reference is to the entrance into the land of the children of Israel. Of course, Jesus always gives rest as promised in Matthew 11:28.
In Hebrews 2:10 it is stated: “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the cap tain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” I thought Jesus was always perfect and did not need to be made perfect. The verse is self-explanatory. Jesus was perfect morally, but in order to be a perfect Saviour, He had to be made perfect in suffering. Jesus Himself speaks of this: “ And he said unto them, Go ye, tell that fox, Behold I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomor row, and the third day I shall be per fected” (Luke 13:32). He meant that on the third day His resurrection, the triumphant climax to His suffering and death, would be accomplished. If we are surrendered to the will of God, how are we to treat sickness and other trials? Should we pray for re moval of them or would we be inter fering with God’s will? If we are to be mature Christians, we must go through difficulties in order to learn how to overcome. So God al lows trials to come into our lives, some times the result of our own carelessness, but always to teach us a lesson. But we are told to pray always. We can ask God to make us well, or to remove the difficulty. If it is removed, we can thank Him; if not, He has a purpose in it. I am teaching the book of Jude and I find in verse 14 a prophecy by Enoch with regard to the Lords Coming with 10,000 of His saints. But I cannot find this in the Old Testament. Where did Jude get his information? Jude got his information from the same place that all the writers of Scrip ture did—from the Holy Spirit Him self, according to Second Peter 1:21: “Holy men of God spake as they were moved [inspired] by the Holy Ghost.” Page Five
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