DR. TALBOT'
UESTION
Problem of Evil Q. W hy did God create Lucifer when He knew that He would be come the devil? A. We all admit that this is the great “W hy?” Some sinners ques tion the wisdom and love of God in creating the devil. They accuse God of permitting Satan to bring sin into the human heart, then holding man responsible for his inherited sin. But look at the glorious truth recorded in Ephesians 2:7. Here we learn that “ in the ages to come” God is going to put on exhibition, to the glory of Christ, the redeemed sons of Adam, sinners saved by grace. One of the old Hebrew words translated “ grace” means “ to be stow a gift upon a bankrupt.” Therefore, there had to be spiritual bankruptcy on earth before the abounding grace of God could be bestowed upon sinful humanity. But some argue that, if God arbi trarily brought the bankruptcy, with the universal law of sin and death, He should arbitrarily bestow grace and save every member of the human family. The Univer- salist teaches that God will do this very thing, and redeem all the sons and daughters of Adam by the re demptive work of Jesus Christ. This may be a consoling theory, and religious men may persuade themselves that they have some Scripture to support the theory; but the whole body of the Scripture is summed up in John 3:36, and is definitely contrary to this false doctrine: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
Since you are confident of having performed that act, you may be sure of having been bom again; the latter is an immediate result of the former. The Holy Spirit graciously enters the heart of the redeemed one the moment that the person says “ Yes” to Christ. “ After that ye be lieved, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise” are the words of Paul to the Ephesians (1:13; cf. 2 Cor. 1:21, 22). The entrance of the Holy Spirit into the Christian’s heart is instan taneous, and not progressive. His presence there is a divine provision for the believer and submission of the one in whose heart He dwells. In this truth may lie the secret of your occasional anger. Have you submitted your temper to the rulership of the One who is willing to keep you at all times the poised Christian you would like to be? Every Christian can join you in that regrettable admission, “ I often sin.” But victorious living is gloriously possible as we yield com pletely to Him, our divine Comfort er, Companion, and Guide (Read John 14:16, 17; 16:13; 1 Cor. 3:16). Does God Repent? Q. W hy do we read in the Old Testament that God “ repented” of certain things? For example, see Genesis 6:6. A. When used concerning God, “ repent” in all of its forms simply means that, to man, God appears to change His mind. “ Known unto God are all his works from the be ginning of the world” (Acts 15:18). In reality it is man who changes, or repents, which accounts for the seeming “ repentance” of God.
The Rapture Q. W ill the unsaved living on the earth when Christ comes for the church know what has taken place? A. The greater majority of people who have lived without the slight est contact with the things of God and the Word of God will not know. However, it may be that many un saved people to whom faithful Christians have w i t n e s s e d and warned of the near return of the Lord will remember what they were told and recognize this as the event predicted. But the Anti-christ will be re vealed after the rapture and his program will so occupy the unsaved that they will soon forget what took place. It is much like the death of a Christian who has many unsaved relatives and friends. At first, these unregenerate people, touched by the death of their believing loved one, may consider their sinful ways and think of eternity. But unless they heed the Holy Spirit’s convict ing work in their hearts and come to Christ for personal salvation, they will carry on as usual and soon the effect of the believer’s death is lost. There is not much in the Scriptures about the details of the rapture, but one can certainly imagine the confusion that will ensue and the explanations godless men will invent. Christians Do Sin Q. I have accepted Christ as my personal Saviour, but I often sin, particularly in losing my temper. Am I truly bom again? A. The assurance with which you speak of having received Christ as 3 rour Saviour is a good testimony.
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