Gospel Hall - About this site

Do we pray to the Holy Spirit or only to God the Father?

Do we pray to the Spirit or ask for the Spirit of God?

The Lord Jesus taught the disciples to pray to the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus (John 16:23)." TARGET="_blank">John 16:23). In the epistles we learn that we should pray in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18)," TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 6:18), who helps us to pray intelligently and makes intercession for us (Romans 8:26, 27)." TARGET="_blank">Romans 8:26, 27). Before Pentecost, the Spirit came upon people temporarily to empower them for some special service. From the day of Pentecost onward, the Spirit came to indwell and seal each believer at the moment of conversion (Ephesians 1:13," TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 1:13, "upon believing"). We are never told in the epistles to pray for the Spirit, be cause He already indwells, us. We are told to be filled with the Spirit in order to serve God, and to walk in the Spirit in order to please God and not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16)." TARGET="_blank">Galatians 5:16).

A. Joyce

How can I help a new believer who has little experience in spiritual matters?

In general, how should we help new believers who have no assembly background?

Accept the new believers as a brother or sister in Christ, regardless of class, culture, economic status, intelligence, social graces, fashion preference, or Bible knowledge. We are their family. Pray for these new believers. They face opposition from their relatives; they struggle with many serious temptations which before salvation were no problem to them. Pray for those who have been used by the Spirit in their salvation; they need wisdom to help the new believer get a good spiritual start.

If the new believer asks your advice, give it gently; you don’t know his load limit. If you feel the new believer needs your correction, don’t assume you know how best to speak to him. Instead, go to the person God has used in his salvation; tell this believer your concerns and trust him to know how to most effectively communicate to the new believer the truth that concerns you.

That believer may have worked long and hard for years to see this person saved. It is patently unfair to destroy that believer’s work by stumbling the new believer. Those who assume that their winsome charm and superior knowledge will enable them to correct a new believer are the most likely to stumble him.

D. Oliver

Who partakes at the Lord’s supper?

Who partakes at the Lord’s supper?

Those who "break bread" together express a unique oneness: "For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread" (1 Corinthians 10:17)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 10:17). When the apostle deals with gifts (12:1), he shows that their functioning must be regulated by the truth that "ye are [the] body of Christ" (12:27). They expressed in breaking bread that they were like a body (10:17), which takes its character from the one Body of which all believers form a part (Ephesians 4:4;" TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 4:4;1 Corinthians 12:12, 13)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 12:12, 13). Obviously, for those who break bread together to function as a unified body, they must be part of the assembly. This is consistent with the Christians’ practice in Acts. Established churches of God "broke bread" (Acts 2:42; 20:7)." TARGET="_blank">Acts 2:42; 20:7). Partaking at the Lord’s Supper is not the right of individuals, but the responsibility of a church of God.

D. Oliver

My teen age child is rebellious. What can I do?

What can Christian parents do to help their wayward, rebellious teenagers?

Keep the relationship. Maintain communication and affirm your unchanged love. The child knows your standards; nagging will destroy communication.

The Lord (Isaiah 1:2)" TARGET="_blank">Isaiah 1:2) and the prodigal’s father (Luke 15:13)" TARGET="_blank">Luke 15:13) had wayward, rebellious children. Combining these two illustrations provides several suggestions:

1. Continue to communicate as positively as possible (as God did through Isaiah).

2. Expect, long for, and plan for the best (as in both cases). "The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man [and his wife] availeth much" (James 5:16)." TARGET="_blank">James 5:16).

3. Refrain from dwelling on and nagging about the negative (as when the prodigal returned).

4. Allow a mature child to make his choices and live with the results. Sheltering him from the results of his choices is counterproductive (as in both cases).

5. Don’t compromise your own standards (God remains the "Holy One of Israel" in Isaiah).

6. When confrontation is necessary, plan to express yourself effectively ONCE (as in Isaiah).

7. Keep the door open for a gracious welcome (as the prodigal’s father).

Two points contrast with both illustrations:

1. Only one parent is in view, but each parent must maintain a united purpose and effort.

2. We are failing parents. Honest admission of our limitations may help reduce resistance to our parenting. Submission to the Lord in the circumstances will help us to learn more of His heart’s longings for us and others who wander from Him. As heartbreaking as the experience is, in the Potter’s hand it can make us more like our Father and more effective as parents.

D. Oliver

Are there ways to improve our singing?

Are there ways to improve our singing?

Hopefully, the answer is yes. If we are preparing our children for usefulness in divine things, experience with choral music in school can prove very instructive. Singing together as families while driving or while sitting at the table encourages singing. Singing along with wholesome Christian recordings is helpful. Getting together in fellow-believers homes to sing the hymns we love is uplifting and beneficial to assembly singing. Learning about music could hardly be harmful.

More important than the art in our singing, though, is the heart in our singing. Since singing is so entwined in our past (Psalm 40:3)," TARGET="_blank">Psalm 40:3), present (Mark 14:26;" TARGET="_blank">Mark 14:26; Ephesians 5:19;" TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16)," TARGET="_blank">Colossians 3:16), and future (Revelation 5:9)," TARGET="_blank">Revelation 5:9), it is difficult to believe - despite ample evidence -that a believer who puts his mind to it and his heart into it cannot sing. If we grasp that our songs express our praise of God, no believer would mumble along or not even mouth the words during the singing (heavenly conditions!). Our Lord deserves our best. Singing "with the spirit" (1 Corinthians 14:15)" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 14:15) means that the songs come from the deepest part of our being; they are heartfelt. Is it wrong to say that singing "with the spirit" will produce spirited singing? A Christian who enjoys his salvation and joyously sings hymns from the Believers Hymn Book while hoeing his beans or driving his car will start the assemblys singing in a manner that will draw the others to join in the singing. In a small assembly, singing may be difficult, but whatever their number, worshipful hearts will cultivate "a joyful noise unto the Lord" (Psalm 100:1)." TARGET="_blank">Psalm 100:1).

Those responsible for the public worship included some David "set over the service of song" and they "ministered . . . with singing" (1 Chronicles 6:31, 32)." TARGET="_blank">1 Chronicles 6:31, 32). Evangelical congregations are hiring those with a "song ministry" Will redeemed hearts not gladly volunteer for this service and "serve the Lord with gladness, come before his presence with singing" (Psalm 100:2)" TARGET="_blank">Psalm 100:2)?

D. Oliver

What did the Lord mean by, "He that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he [John]?

What did the Lord mean by, "He that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he [John the Baptist]"?

Some take this to refer to the Lord Jesus. In the same chapter, He describes Himself as lowly (v 29). To consider that the most lowly of all is the greatest of all bows our hearts in worship! How wonderful and how wonderfully true! One difficulty with this interpretation is that we would normally think of the Lord Jesus as being the King over the kingdom, rather than in it. A stronger objection is the context. This is a contrast introduced by "nevertheless." The first part of the contrast deals with John’s official privilege and honor. In this interpretation, the Lord would be speaking about His person, not His office. To paraphrase, the Lord would be saying "no human has been given a higher privilege in service that John, but I am a greater person than others." That doesn’t seem balanced.

The first "sampling" is from the human family, "them that are born of women"; the second is from the kingdom of heaven. Could the Lord be contrasting greatness in terms of privilege? In the human family, no one has been more privileged than John in the work entrusted to him. In the kingdom of heaven, even one considered to be the least (in his service?) is more privileged through the grace bestowed on him than John was through the honored work he did. Greater than all we are privileged to do for God is the grace we have been privileged to receive from God.

D. Oliver

What are the differences between "the Spirit of God" and "the Spirit of Christ"?

What are the differences between "the Spirit of God" and "the Spirit of Christ"?

These two terms appear side by side: "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His" (Rom 8:9)." TARGET="_blank">Rom 8:9). The only way to consistently interpret this verse is to recognize that the Spirit of God indwells believers, and, apart from this indwelling, the individual is not a believer, does not belong to Christ. Therefore, these are two titles of the same Spirit. The expression, "the Spirit of Christ," occurs only one other time, ". . . the Spirit of Christ Which was in them did signify, when It testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow" (1Pe 1:11)." TARGET="_blank">1Pe 1:11). Peter identifies the Spirit of Christ, Who inspired Old Testament prophets to write about Christ, as the Holy Spirit (2Pe 1:21)." TARGET="_blank">2Pe 1:21).

"The Spirit of God" emphasizes His deity and His role within the Godhead. The One Who dwells in the temple of God must be God, but Paul tells us it is the Spirit of God (1Co 3:16)." TARGET="_blank">1Co 3:16). He is God. The miracles of the Lord were evidence of "the finger of God" (Luke 11:20)," TARGET="_blank">Luke 11:20), the direct work of God. Matthew quotes the Lord as saying they were by the Spirit of God (Matt 12:28)." TARGET="_blank">Matt 12:28). Paul indicates the Spirit’s role within the Godhead when He writes, "even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God" (1Co 2:11)." TARGET="_blank">1Co 2:11). He must be God, in order to know (understand, perceive) God’s thoughts and plans. He is the One Who reveals "the deep things of God" (v 10). On the other hand, the scene at Jordan demonstrates that He is distinguishable within the Godhead. The Father’s voice comes from heaven, addressing the Son on earth, Who is marked out by the Spirit of God’s visible descent on Him (Matt 3:16)." TARGET="_blank">Matt 3:16).

"The Spirit of Christ" emphasizes His relationship to Christ. He revealed Christ in His sufferings and coming glory to the OT prophets (1Pe 1:10-11)" TARGET="_blank">1Pe 1:10-11) and reveals Christ now in believers, whose characteristic mark of ownership is "the Spirit of Christ" (Romans 8:9)." TARGET="_blank">Romans 8:9).

Two similar titles occur only once each. They are "the Spirit of Jesus Christ" (Phi 1:19)" TARGET="_blank">Phi 1:19) and "the Spirit of Jesus" (Acts 16:7," TARGET="_blank">Acts 16:7, JND).

D. Oliver

Are people in heaven married?

Does the Lord teach that believers will not become married in heaven or that the marriage relationship will not exist in heaven?

In answer to the Sadducees’ question about the woman who had seven husbands (Matthew 22:23-32)," TARGET="_blank">Matthew 22:23-32), the Lord discloses that those who have resurrection bodies will not marry or be given in marriage. If this only means that couples will not become married while they are in resurrection bodies, but will retain the status of marriage they had at death (or the Rapture), it hardly answers the question. When each of the seven husbands died, he was married to that one woman. Which of them claims her as wife in the next life? This is the original question and, in that case, the Lord didn’t answer it.

The teaching cannot simply mean that death severs the relationship; therefore none were married at death and so they will not be married at the time of the resurrection. What about the Rapture? Are the only people who remain married in heaven the living couples who go to heaven at the Rapture?

Perhaps a better understanding of the Lord’s teaching is that the unmarried state of angels in heaven is the state of resurrected believers - whether on earth or in heaven. Marriage is an earthly, temporary, but wonderful institution. Its design is to better enable our understanding of the glorious and eternal relationship between Christ and the Church. In heaven our only thought there will be to please Him, our eternal Bridegroom (compare 1 Corinthians 7:34)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 7:34).

D. Oliver

Should our children be taught sex education in public schools?

Should our children be taught sex education in public schools?

In Old Testament days, God entrusted moral training to the family: "Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up" (Deuteronomy 6:7)." TARGET="_blank">Deuteronomy 6:7). God intended parents to discharge this responsibility diligently, deliberately (even when sitting to relax), decidedly (as inseparable from normal living as walking - or driving?), and daily (last thing at night, first thing in the morning). Since Paul (Ephesians 6:2)" TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 6:2) bases New Testament teaching about family relations on Old Testament principles, Christian parents still have the primary responsibility to teach their children morality. Scripture elevates such matters, although private and sensitive, to a place of honor (Hebrews 13:4)" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 13:4) and consummate beauty (Ephesians 5:31, 32)." TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 5:31, 32). This moral training is a privilege and a responsibility.

Christian parents are dutybound to be aware of what is happening in their child's education. Since God's moral standards are "for our good always" (Deuteronomy 6:24)," TARGET="_blank">Deuteronomy 6:24), aren't parents responsible to protect their child if they discover that his classroom experience is (or will be) contrary to his home training?

D. Oliver

Should a person who is being disciplined by the assembly be present at the discipline meeting?

Should a person who is being disciplined by the assembly be present at the discipline meeting?

Yes. Not every form of New Testament discipline involves putting an individual away from the fellowship. How could an assembly rebuke a fellow-believer (1 Timothy 5:20)" TARGET="_blank">1 Timothy 5:20) who is not present? In the case of excommunication, an individual remains part of the assembly until the assembly has acted to put him away Silently attending such a gathering might indicate submissiveness to and concurrence with the assemblys action. It may also convince a person of the sensuousness of his sin and of the saints concern for him. No one can force a person to attend; advising him to do so would be wise.

D. Oliver