Bible doesn’t take vast space de scribing eternity. If it did we would get more homesick for heav en than we could possibly stand. “To depart and be with Christ is far better.” He wants us to finish the work He has given us to do down here. Q. San Francisco, Calif. — “As a born-again Christian striving to do the will of God, what position should one take in dealing with the non-Christian world, insofar as business is concerned? One’s hon esty, integrity, and Christian faith are so open to exploitation.” A. This is quite an apt picture of conditions as they prevail to day. We are explicitly told that believers should not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. This is a basic principle of life. A Christian, of course, should not allow himself to become engaged in that which may be dishonest or even anything in which there is a moral question of right or wrong. At the same time, it is impossible to live without dealing with non- Christians. In buying food .or mer chandise at a store, we don’t in quire whether the clerk is a Chris tian. We have to take part in economic and financial enterprises, working with those who don’t pro fess Christ as Saviour, all the while making certain that our tes timony is pure and upright. Q. Stanton, Calif. - — “Are Jew s considered Orientals ? Some say that Jesus was from the Oriental land.” A. Yes, a definition should be giv en as to what we mean by Orien tal. This term geographically and historically means far more than Japan, China and the like. Both Near East and Far East are con sidered Oriental. Oriental lan guages would include Assyrian,
Babylonian, Aramaic, Syriac, and Caananite, to name but a few. These are Near Eastern tongues. Of course, the Jew is a nationality. Judaism is a religion. Q. Pueblo, Colo. — “I would like help on Acts 19:1-6.” A. Paul is asking the people if they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed. Some won dered why Paul had to lay hands on them. Underline the point that there were only twelve men in volved. To listen to some people, you would think it was a whole city. Keep in mind Acts is a tran sitional book. Consider the fact that there are people in Acts who are not only going from the age before the crucifixion of our blessed Lord and before His res urrection into the full grace of His post-resurrection ministry and right to Pentecost on New Testa ment ground. They went from law to grace. We don’t do that today. Keep in mind too that the disciples here didn’t necessarily mean be lievers. Remember in John’s Gos pel certain disciples went back and never followed the Lord again. Our Lord said to Peter, “Will you also go away?” These men then explained, “We never even heard that there was a Holy Spirit.” This is very definitely not a church concept. When Paul found out that they were followers of John, the problem was brought sharply into focus. John baptized, looking for ward to the coming of the Mes siah. Their hearts were already prepared, so they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. They laid hands on them and the Holy Spirit came upon them. This, keep in mind, is a specific instance. They had not previously been told of the completed redemption. Thank God, no one today needs to be in the dark on this subject. 21
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