Lord Jesus Christ even more than our own lives. Q . El Monte, Calif___ “Where does ‘love thy neighbor’ and ‘righteous indigna tion’ begin?” A. To be sure, we as believers are ex horted to love our neighbors, as well as our enemies. There is not an in consistency with righteous indigna tion. For instance, as parents, seeking to do the will of God, we love our children deeply. At times, however, we have been righteously indignant with them. There is a real danger, how ever, not to let temper fool us and excuse itself in self-styled piety. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to help and guide us, giving the victory over some of these very difficult circum stances. The Psalmist asked the Lord to search and try him, we need this daily examination, too, through the penetrating power of the Word of God. Q . Walla Walla, Wash. — “Was John the Baptist ever a sinner, or was he always a spiritual being?” A. He most certainly was a sinner. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only perfect Man who has ever lived. John the Baptist needed salvation and re ceived eternal life by faith in the Lord. Q , Cottage Grove, Ore. — “Is there any Biblical proof that Christ died only for the elect as some radio speakers say?” A. Some do hold to the view which is known as “limited atonement.” This is what Calvin believed. Salvation is limited in the sense that Christ died for all but it doesn’t follow that all are saved thereby. Verses which are helpful on this subject are II Corin thians 5:17 to 19, I John 2:2, as well as John 3:16. Some hold to the idea that when Christ died on the cross it was only for the elect. This, however, would make His sacrificial death re strictive as far as availability. We be lieve that the Saviour’s death is for 24
beyond them. One refers to the unity of God. Two is the number of wit nesses : two tables of stone, the wit nesses sent out two by two, “by the mouth of two or three shall every word be established,” etc. Three is the number of the Trinity. (It is also the number of resurrection.) Four is the number of the world, with the com pass points: north, south, east and west. Five is generally the number of grace. (This is four plus one, or the world plus God’s love.) The num ber six falls short of completeness and speaks of man. (In Revelation we have it at its height of folly in the num ber 666, representing the wi cked “man of sin.” ) Seven is a unity and completeness. There are seven days in the week, seven lampstands, seven messengers or angels of the church, seven trumpets. So, we could go on in this with ten speaking of universality. Forty is the number of testing: 40 years in the wilderness for the chil dren of Israel, Moses’ 40 days up in the mount with God, the Saviour fast ing before His temptation for 40 days. It is an extremely interesting study. Q . Milton-Freewater, Ore. — “Please ex plain why Jesus said if we hate not our father and mother, brother and sisters, we are not of His.” A. We read about this in Luke 14:26. We need to understand what the word hate actually means when it has such a specific reference. The translation has reference to loving less. When we use the word hate today it has an entirely different connotation. Some times hate is used in the absolute sense. For instance, God hates sin. It certainly doesn’t mean that He loves sin less. In Proverbs 13:24, we read “He that spareth the rod hateth his son.” This doesn’t have reference to hate in the sense we use it today. It suggests that he just doesn’t love him sufficiently to think of his well being and the proper training he should be receiving. So, Christ is saying we are to love everyone less than we do Him. “If He is not Lord of all He will not be Lord at all.” We should love the
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