is some way of civic betterment, we should seek the good of all. Anything else is the way of selfishness and dis regard for the conditions under which our children and grandchildren will have to live. Q. Billings, Mont — “How did Noah know which animals were clean and those which were unclean as far as the ark was concerned?” A. Note that this indicates the dis tinction between clean and unclean animals before the Mosaic code. Such a system was not only connected with Judaism. Noah, having lived in the world, knew something about the na tures of these animals. He knew from his observations a n d experience which were animals of prey, as well as their other characteristics, such as those that are scavengers, etc. Q. Compton, Calif. — “I have never found Sunday in the Bible as the day of rest from labor taken as the day of worship and rest. Do you think the Christian family has the right to be happy with Sunday?” A. No, Sunday does not specifically occur in the Bible. But the name isn’t particularly significant. It is universally recognized as the first day of the week. We read in Scripture about laying aside our gifts on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; I Cor. 16:1-2). The Jews under the old dispensation of law worshipped on the Sabbath. We worship on the first day of the week because that was when our Lord rose from the dead. We commemorate the fact that our Saviour lives forevermore. We have every right to be happy with Sunday. It should be observed by attending services where the Gospel is preached and the Lord is honored and glorified. For testimony’s sake a Christian family will not want to indulge in many of the activities the people of the world pursue. It is a time par
ticularly set apart for the worship of our risen Lord. Each Christian family must be satisfied in their own minds and hearts as to what the Lord would have them do to bring glory to His name. We rest from daily la bor in order to work the more for Him on that day. Q, Denver, Colo. — “Could you help me on Matthew 5:22 where we are warned not to call any man a fool? In Luke 2U:25 Jesus Himself called His disciples ‘fools and slow of heart to believe all the prophets have spo ken.’ ” A. There is a harmonistic explana tion for all Scripture for it is all from God. The words, in this case, are not the same. In Matthew the word would be translated today not as fool but as empty-headed (see the New Scofield Bible, page 998, margin). It is a very abusive epithet. It suggests the in dividual ought to be institutionalized. In Luke it is still a different term. Here he is talking to “uninstructed ones.” He was seeking to guide and direct them in their understanding of the truth. Q. Albany, Ore. — “What is the dif ference between teaching and preach ing?” A. The word preacher doesn’t occur in the New Testament as such. Eccle siastes has this connotation in mind. Prophet, of course, is found in many places. In I Corinthians 12 we see the difference of office among the leaders of the church (vs. 28). There is a separation of offices in the church. In I Timothy 3 we have the definition of a bishop. He was properly an over seer. This is what the preacher today has become, spiritually speaking. Such would not be the case with a teacher. Keep in mind, however, that some of the best preaching should be teaching, especially in an expositional study of the Word. When the pastor
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