Is the purpose of marriage only to bear children?

Did God establish different roles for man and woman merely for the purpose of their bearing children?

Forming Eve (Genesis 2:22)" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 2:22) was God's climactic act in creation. This anticipates giving Christ His Bride (John 17:24;" TARGET="_blank">John 17:24; Ephesians 5:32)." TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 5:32). Nothing is dearer to the heart of the Son. No work of the Godhead will ever surpass this. Differing roles not only enable procreation, but also display the relation of Christ to His Church. Also, the headship of man over woman parallels the headship of Christ over man (1 Corinthians 11:3)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 11:3). Since this relates to the eventual subjection of all things to God (1 Corinthians 15:28)," TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 15:28), the roles of man and woman express very precious truths. We do well to cherish and uphold these in an unbelieving world.

D. Oliver

Other pages in this section

About this site

How can I know God's will for me personally?

How can I know God's will for me personally?

The New Testament records God's will for all believers. The largest part of our life fits within these guidelines. We must approach the Bible with objective questions about His will for us. Through His Word, we should attempt to learn and do His revealed will. Devotion to Christ motivates us to want to do His will. Looking in the Bible for what is "not against His will" indicates we are going through our Christian experience looking for as many shortcuts as possible.

In addition to the Bible's specific expressions of His will, its principles apply to our lives. Scriptural principles express God's ways. If we really want to know our God, we will gladly allow His principles to guide us.

We also learn that God superintends the circumstances of our life. If we are honest with our own heart and are willing to do God's will, the circumstances may be His means of guiding our decision.

We know, for instance, that God "will have all men to be saved" (I Timothy 2:4)." TARGET="_blank">I Timothy 2:4). But there are times when the Spirit places a special burden on our hearts for a specific sinner. This is the "mystical" side of guidance. It is a sense in the soul - always in keeping with what we know of God through His Word - that this is His will at the moment. We may be wrong in thinking we have discerned His will and therefore need to keep an open mind on this, but never doubt His ability to act in our life consistent with His revealed will.

The more we walk in fellowship with the Lord daily, the more clearly we will sense His guidance.

D. Oliver
Other pages in this section

About this site

Should fermented wine be used in the Lord's Supper?

UNFERMENTED WINE

Are not Christians who believe that unfermented or nonalcoholic wine is nearer that used by Christians in the early days justified in using such at the Lord’s table?

It is well not only to have beliefs, but also to be able to justify them from the Word of God or from real facts, admitted as such. Otherwise our “beliefs” may degenerate into personal opinions or even fads. I have never heard any proof that the wine used in the Scriptures was not ordinary fermented wine, as is produced in all wine-producing countries today. Fermentation is an ordinary process of nature and cannot but occur when wine is made. The wine used in the Bible made persons intoxicated, if taken in excess, and that used by the Corinthians, when they came together ostensibly to keep the Lord’s supper, was of the same character, as 1Corinthians 11:21" TARGET="_blank">1Corinthians 11:21 (“another is drunken”) shows. It was indeed a sad state of things, but the apostle did not solve the difficulty by changing the liquid used, but by changing their ideas of the Lord’s supper from a meal to an act of remembrance.

Really “unfermented wine” is a contradiction in terms. If it is not fermented, it may be a red liquid, it may be even a concoction of raisins, but it cannot be wine. The late W. Hunter of Manchester, used, I believe, to say that “unfermented wine,” was on a par with “unfrozen ice.” This being said, the wine need only be of such a strength as will preserve it sufficiently, so as not to necessitate the opening of a new bottle every week.

W.H.

Other pages in this section

About this site

Who decided the books that make up the Bible?

Who decided the books that make up the Bible?

Some "Church councils" have served some important and beneficial ends. Constantine convened the first official council at Nice in 325, but that council was to decide its issues by the Scriptures. The council did not decide the Canon (the books recognized as the authoritative rule for Christian living - the inspired books). It was to act on what was already recognized as the Christian Scriptures. Church councils did not decide the Canon. Long before 325, post-apostolic Christian writers referred to various writings as the Scriptures; in total, they referred to the 27 New Testament books we recognize today. Those men didn’t make them canonical, but recognized that they were part of the Canon.

In the New Testament itself are instances where writers recognize other current writings as Scriptures. Paul in 1 Timothy 5:18" TARGET="_blank">1 Timothy 5:18 Paul treats Deuteronomy 25:4" TARGET="_blank">Deuteronomy 25:4 and Luke 10:7" TARGET="_blank">Luke 10:7 equally as Scripture. Peter places all of Paul’s epistles on a par with "the other Scriptures" (2Pe. 3:16)." TARGET="_blank">2Pe. 3:16). The Spirit by inspiration is beginning to make the NT Canon clear. Those who were born of God recognized the authority and quality of the inspired writings.

D. Oliver
Other pages in this section

About this site

Do Christians need to obey Old Testament laws?

Be the first to give an answer to this question. Write an answer in the comment section below. Please provide your name and if you have a website or blog, be sure to include the URL and email address in your answer.

Answers will be reviewed.

Other pages in this section

About this site

Why do the 144,000 not believe "the lie" after the Rapture?

Why do the 144,000 not believe "the lie" after the Rapture?

Not all unbelievers will believe the Wicked One’s lie (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12)." TARGET="_blank">2 Thessalonians 2:8-12). Those who believe the lie will previously have crossed a line of wilfully rejecting the truth (verses 10, 12). Only God knows the location of that line.

The 144,000 will be saved by a sovereign intervention of God, foreshadowed by Paul’s conversion (1 Corinthians 15:8;" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 15:8; 1 Timothy 1:16)." TARGET="_blank">1 Timothy 1:16). Although all believers will be taken at the Rapture, God will not leave Himself without witnesses. Following the Rapture, He will save the 144,000, making them a testimony established apart from any human instrumentality. They will be sealed and thus protected from the judgments of God that are about to fall on the ungodly (Revelation 7:1-8)." TARGET="_blank">Revelation 7:1-8).

D. Oliver
Other pages in this section

About this site

Do His stripes (Isaiah 53:5) refer to Christ

Do His stripes (Isaiah 53:5)" TARGET="_blank">Isaiah 53:5) refer to Christ’s scourging or to God’s stroke?

The context of the verse indicates that the stroke is from God. In the previous verse, the nation considered Him to be smitten by God because they counted it blasphemy that He claimed to be God’s Son (see Matthew 26:65, 66; 27:43)." TARGET="_blank">Matthew 26:65, 66; 27:43). Verse 5 is a contrast; it was indeed God’s hand that smote Him, but the reason was not in Him, but in us. God pierced ("wounded"), crushed ("bruised"), chastised, and bruised ("stripes") Him. The "healing" from transgressions and iniquity to wholeness ("peace") was not, could not be, by the shame and suffering inflicted by man.

D. Oliver

Other pages in this section

About this site

Is there a connection between the resurrection and the timing of the Levitical offerings?

Is there a connection to the Levitical offerings?

We are familiar with the truth that the Lord rose from the dead as the Firstfruit (1Co 15:23)." TARGET="_blank">1Co 15:23). This fulfilled the Feast of Firstfruits (Lev 23:10)." TARGET="_blank">Lev 23:10). On the exact day that feast was fulfilled by Christ’s resurrection, the citizens of Jerusalem saw people alive whom they knew had died. These who came back from death were not part of the "harvest" of which Christ is the Firstfruits. He is unique as the Firstfruit. These returned to death. They are a reminder of that Feast of Firstfruits and its promise of a coming harvest: this sheaf of wheat is a first fruit, and other sheaves will follow. Just as that first fruit was especially for God, so our resurrected Lord has precedence over all others. Those who have part in the first resurrection (Rev 20:5)," TARGET="_blank">Rev 20:5), like Christ, will never die again.

D. Oliver
Other pages in this section

About this site

Your First Visit

Welcome

The Gospel Hall is a carefully chosen name for the meeting place of a church who meets in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The emphasis on the Bible's message, called the Gospel, gives the building its name because of what we do there: we preach the Bible.

Moment of Truth

People here have a common theme - each one has experienced a moment of truth with God that gives them confidence to face life, death and even eternity beyond. Check out some of the Personal Stories to see what we mean by this special moment of understanding called salvation. Each person has faced his/her own guilt before God regarding things done wrong, that is, our personal sin. This moment of salvation doesn't have to occur during a service at the Gospel Hall. In fact, many were saved while doing other things such as reading at home, or while trying to do homework, or even after going to a drug party, or while contemplating suicide while lying on the floor.

What kind of Church is the Gospel Hall?

It dificult to go to a church that you know nothing about. You probably have dozens of questions swirling around your mind such as:

Will the preacher rant and rave and shout strange things from the platform?
Are there secrets or rituals that only "the members" know about?
Of course they want me to donate money, right?
Is this church a political platform for "fixing America?"

First, you can be assured that the services here are done orderly and politely. See the Gospel Hall FAQs to read about the various types of meetings held in the Hall.

Second, the teachings you will hear are not motivated by politics or cult-like agendas. The primary goal of the services is to help people understand what the Bible says. You can get an idea of the services by listening to some sample messages in MP3 audio download format.

Oh, yes, the money. The policy at the Gospel Hall is that no collections are ever taken from visitors at any services. We believe if we can't afford to be offering the service ourselves, then we shouldn't be asking you to pay for it.

Our Roots

The history of the assemblies who meet in the Gospel Hall will show you that our mentors and teachers came from Great Britian during the early 1800's time of influence of the Plymouth Brethren.

Your Needs

We want you to know that we are dedicated to helping you with your needs wherever you are in life. While there is a lot to read on this website, the best way to discover the feel of a place is by spending time with its people. Once you do this, we're convinced that you will find everything that you're looking for and much, much more.

Your First Visit

We would love for you to join us for one of our services. You should...

Contact one of the churches listed in the directory. The phone number is probably a person's home phone or cell phone. They are expecting you to call and ask about the church. They probably will be willing to meet with you beforehand if you have questions.
Pick a Service. See the Gospel Hall FAQs to read about the various types of meetings held in the Hall.
Go to the Hall for the service.
After the service stay around and talk. Getting aquainted after the service can sometimes last longer than the service for some people!

Other pages in this section

About this site

How should we treat a christian who marries an unbeliever?

How should an assembly of God act, according to the Scriptures, in the case of a member who has married a Roman Catholic?

To us it may seem worse that a professed Christian should marry a Roman Catholic, than that one should marry an unconverted Protestant; and generally it means much more in the way of trouble in the flesh to the one concerned. But we have to remember that, from the point of view of the Scriptures, and of the principle involved, the one act is as wrong as the other; and whatever may be said as to the assembly’s attitude in the case mentioned in the question, would be applicable in the other case also. Not only so, but since the evil in the act is that of being “unequally yoked together” (2 Corinthians 6" TARGET="_blank">2 Corinthians 6: ) with an unbeliever, it would to a large extent be applicable to other cases of the unequal yoke as well.

A clear understanding as to all this would prevent an assembly from acting with undue harshness in the one instance, while perhaps entirely ignoring the others. Yet, that a member of an assembly of God’s people should at all wish to marry a Roman Catholic is very strange, and suggests some grave considerations. One may well wonder whether such a one has divine life; for if so, it is difficult to imagine what common interest there could ever be to bring the pair together in the first instance. At least there must have been much preliminary declension from God’s ways, ere such a thing could be possible. And that suggests another matter for thought, namely, what kind of guides were in an assembly where departure from God on the part of a member could reach to such a climax as this, without faithful warnings having been given at an earlier stage which might have prevented it.

But the most surprising feature of all would be if the one who had done this thing, afterwards desired, as the question seems to imply, to remain in the fellowship of the assembly. The Roman religious authorities exercise such pressure on their people in the matter of a mixed marriage, that it would almost certainly have taken place in one of their own places of worship, and only after the non-Roman party to it had climbed down very low in agreeing to all their demands. Therefore it is not easy to understand why anyone who has gone so far should wish to continue the former associations.

If, however, all this has occurred or should occur, the assembly should certainly not ignore what has taken place. I do not think that (unless other complications are present) the Scriptures would warrant putting away from the fellowship of the meeting on that account alone. But the guilty individual should be rebuked; and since it is an evil to which a large amount of publicity is necessarily attached, I suggest that the rebuke should in like manner be public, i.e. in the presence of the assembled saints (see 1 Timothy 5:20" TARGET="_blank">1 Timothy 5:20 and Galatians 2:14).

W.R.

Other pages in this section

About this site

Main Menu