QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS w ith Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland, President, the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Inc. and Dr. Charles L. Fehtberg, Dean, Talbot Theological Seminary
Q. Lompoc, Calif. — “The Bible prom ise of which Solomon spoke 'Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not de part from it’ has me confused when Solomon himself departed from the Lord during his old age." A. One can't help but wonder wheth er David was too busy with the af fairs of his kingdom to keep track of his own son. We do not know. You can be sure that it is not the Lord who fails in His promise to us. There are, however, certain prerequisites to every promise. Sometimes Scripture gives us a general truth from which there can be exceptions, for often exceptions prove the rule. We are to do our part, under the power of God’s Holy Spirit, to guide our chil dren in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. As we are faithful to the Lord, He will reveal Himself strong in our behalf and in the lives of our precious offspring He has given. Q. Carmarillo, Calif. — "My daughter's pastor said that Judas is going to be the antichrist. Could you explain this to me?" A. There are some who hold to this view. We do not believe, however, that it is a matter on which one can be dogmatic. In II Thessalonians 2: 3-4, we read about the antichrist and how that this infamous character is yet to appear. It may be that he is
now on the horizon, however, we do not know. This person would seem to be another individual than Judas who will be born among men rising up and becoming Satan’s emissary. We do not believe that the antichrist will necessarily be Jewish. The false prophet certainly will be from Israel. Antichrist will not be revealed until after the rapture. Q. Emmett, Idaho — “It distresses me to see so much division between the two great P ro te s ta n t movements. One says that once you are saved you can never be lost; the other de clares one is prone to backsliding and can lose his salvation unless he is sanctified. Is there not a possibility that there is truth somewhere be tween these two extremes?” A. Division between believers is al ways distressing. The views to which you refer, however, are more appro priately two systems of Biblical in terpretation. A believer can be guilty of backsliding. Scripture teaches this, and illustrations from individ uals abound in life. Remember, how ever backsliding is one thing, but losing one’s salvation is another. The Bible teaches that once an individual is saved he will act like a Christian. Basically, he will desire to live a godly life. John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoso ever believeth in him should not per- 13
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