Do sisters have a responsibility in reception into the fellowship?

Do sisters have a responsibility in reception into the fellowship?

The assembly, brothers and sisters alike, receive to the assembly. If a sister is aware of any reason why an individual cannot be received to the assembly, she fails in her responsibility by not mentioning that to the elders. Sisters and brothers alike should have a spiritual concern for the welfare of the assembly and for those who are added to the fellowship. Elders guide the flock in assembly reception, but input to the elders from sisters is just as appropriate and valued as input from brothers in the assembly.

D. Oliver
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Was the descent at the time of Pentecost gradual?

Was the descent at the time of Pentecost gradual?

If the question refers to the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost, the answer is in verses 2 to 4 of Acts 2" TARGET="_blank">Acts 2: "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, … And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost." With unexpected suddenness (Strong’s Dictionary), the sound filled the house, divided tongues (ESV) appeared and rested on the believers, the Holy Spirit filled them, and they spoke in tongues.

However, perhaps the question addresses the descent or decline of Israel’s place of privilege. During the period covered in the Book of Acts, the gospel went "to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16)." TARGET="_blank">Romans 1:16). In Ezekiel’s visions, the glory of the Lord gradually moved away from the temple, the land, and the nation. The Lord did not rush to withdraw from His people. The prophet received the message of judgment before the glory departed, but God carried out the judgment with apparent reluctance, which is both instructive and touching. So during the book of Acts, Israel’s removal from its position of privilege took place gradually. The Lord had announced it before the cross, and made it clear that the reason was the slaying of the beloved Son (Matthew 21:33-43)." TARGET="_blank">Matthew 21:33-43). He taught that after He ascended back to heaven, the nation would seal its doom by sending after Him the message, "We will not have this Man to reign over us" (Luke 19:12-14)" TARGET="_blank">Luke 19:12-14) and by declining the invitation of the King’s messengers (Matthew 22:1-7)." TARGET="_blank">Matthew 22:1-7). The same leaders who plotted the death of Christ sent their message of determined rejection ("We will not have this Man . . .") back to heaven when they stoned Stephen (Acts 7)." TARGET="_blank">Acts 7). They imprisoned and beat the messengers (ch 5). They proved that their slaying of Christ was not accidental; they were not manslayers (Deu 19:1-4)," TARGET="_blank">Deu 19:1-4), but, as Stephen said (Acts 7:52)," TARGET="_blank">Acts 7:52), were murderers (Deuteronomy 19:11, 12)." TARGET="_blank">Deuteronomy 19:11, 12). They had no refuge from the sword of judgment. As the gospel spread from Jerusalem to Rome in Acts, the Jewish leaders affirmed the nation’s rejection of Christ and His messengers, although individual Jews were saved.

The nation rejected Christ and His kingdom when they crucified Him. As the gospel spread, the nation’s rejection of the message spread; the pall of darkness and blindness (Romans 11:25)" TARGET="_blank">Romans 11:25) settled over Israel. With apparent reluctance, God gradually removed the place of privilege from the nation that had rejected His Son. That generation crucified the King and therefore would not share in His kingdom. That was settled before the beginning of Acts. During Acts, God gradually removed their place of privilege as the message went from Jerusalem to Rome. After the end of Acts, the army came from Rome to Jerusalem to destroy the city (Matthew 22:7)." TARGET="_blank">Matthew 22:7). The decline was gradual, but the result inevitable.

D. Oliver
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Is it still an assembly when the believers do all the right things, but don

Is it still an assembly when the believers do all the right things, but don’t have love?

How much better if no assembly ever gave reason for such a question to be asked!

To be fair, not everyone expresses his love in the same way. Sometimes a believer perceives a lack of love in others because he expects others to express love in the same way he does.

To be honest, a lack of expressing love in an assembly is not a deciding factor in whether it continues to be an assembly. Believers must love one another or they are not demonstrating that they have divine life (1 John 3:14)." TARGET="_blank">1 John 3:14). The absence of expressing love for one another is an evidence that the Spirit is grieved in that believer (Eph 4:30;" TARGET="_blank">Eph 4:30; Gal 5:22)." TARGET="_blank">Gal 5:22). When the Spirit is grieved, what is to hinder that assembly from losing its devotion to Christ and subsequently its lampstand (Rev 2:4-5)" TARGET="_blank">Rev 2:4-5)?

David Oliver

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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

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My friend is going to get an abortion. What should I tell her?

What advice or alternatives an a Christian give an unbelieving friend who is planning an abortion?

Although it is tempting to sidestep this thorny issue, we are called to reprove the unfruitful works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11)." TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 5:11). The unbelieving friend needs to face the fact that God views elective abortion as murder. This truth, however, can be spoken with love (Ephesians 4:15)" TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 4:15): "1 understand your predicament, but can't agree that abortion is the answer. As a Christian, I've learned the value of depending on the Bible's guidance in tough times like this. God regards unborn babies as real human beings (Psalm 139:13-16;" TARGET="_blank">Psalm 139:13-16; Luke 1:39-44)," TARGET="_blank">Luke 1:39-44), and so He looks at abortion just as He looks at the killing of an adult (Exodus 21:22-23)." TARGET="_blank">Exodus 21:22-23). That is why so many women struggle with guilt after an abortion their conscience agrees with God that abortion is wrong." It may help to point out that women who had abortions suffer from an increased rate of infertility, tubal pregnancy, miscarriage, and suicide.

Along with presenting God's truth, we must also make a case for the two alternatives to abortion. First is adoption. It is noble and selfless for a mother to release her child to one of literally thousands of couples waiting to adopt. On the other hand, the unbelieving friend may choose to raise the child herself if she can be assured of help. In addition to steering the mother to a suitable Christian agency, we should also consider adoption or assisting the mother ourselves.

D. Valiance

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Why did God reject Cain's sacrifice?

“By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. . . God testifying of his gifts, and by it he being dead yet speaketh.”Hebrews11:4" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews11:4

Why were Abel and his offering accepted, and Cain and his offering rejected? Does the expression “more excellent” imply that there was something excellent in that of Cain?

The word translated, “more excellent,” is literally “more, “or’ ‘greater,” and is used either of quantity or quality, here clearly of the latter. It does not imply any excellence in Cain’s offering, otherwise we should not read, “but unto Cain and to his offering God had not respect.” Also later God said to him, “If thou doest well (i.e., come like Abel with the slain victim, implying that Cain had not done well in offering his fruit of the earth), but if thou doest not well (i.e., persist in thy refusal of that offering;) sin’ lieth at the door; i.e., croucheth like a wild beast ready to spring. There can be no reasonable doubt that God had revealed to His fallen creatures how they must approach to Him—even by the minhab or approach offering—a lamb of the flock. Clearly this was to be slain, as the expression—”of the fat thereof” shows. Had there been no such revelation, how could Abel have had “faith” to draw near in this way?

I remember years ago seeing a blind Kabyle reading in Braille type by the wayside in North Africa, what I learned to be this fourth chapter of Genesis. When we asked him why God accepted Abel’s offering, he replied, “There was something in it which spoke of the Messiah.” This is true; no doubt that sacrifice was a type of the Lamb of God slain at Calvary, and foreshadowed the bruising of the Kinsman’s heel. Abel confessed himself worthy of death and appropriated the death of the victim in his stead. Cain’s offering was of the same vegetable kingdom as the fig-leaves of the aprons of Adam and Eve, and as the host of flour and water, which the Romanist and Ritualist offer on their “altars,” all of which are bloodless offerings and powerless to remit
sin.

W.H.

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Should prayers of worship be organized like a sermon?

Should the character of prayers at the Breaking of Bread be like the content of a ministry message?

Prayers at the Breaking of Bread should not be like the content of a ministry message. Ministry is the spiritual service of preaching the Word to God's people and preaching the Gospel to the lost. Prayer at the Breaking of Bread meeting involves worship.

When the Lord Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper He said, "This do in remembrance of Me" (Luke 22:19)." TARGET="_blank">Luke 22:19). Our prayers should express to God our appreciation of the glorious Person and work of the Lord Jesus as our Creator and Redeemer. Therefore our worship should consist of such subjects as: His creation of the universe by the power of His spoken word, His mighty stoop from the throne of Heaven to the womb of the Virgin, His perfect life and service to God and man which brought such delight to God's heart, the rejection and shame men heaped upon Him, His infinite suffering and death upon the cross as the Bearer of our sin, and His glorious resurrection and ascension to God's right hand.

Ministry is a message from God directed manward, whereas public worship is directed God-ward on behalf of the assembly. Both should involve orderly thought, but a consciousness of speaking to God in worship will keep a man from appearing to "teach God knowledge" (Job 21:22)." TARGET="_blank">Job 21:22).

A. Joyce

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How old was Abraham when his father died?

In Genesis 11:26" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 11:26 we read, “Terah lived seventy years and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran,” and in V. 32, “and the days of Terab were two hundred and five years and Terah died in Haran.” Now, taking 70 from 205, would make Abram 135 years when Terah died, while we know from Gen. 12:4" TARGET="_blank">Gen. 12:4 that Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran, and from Acts 7:4" TARGET="_blank">Acts 7:4 that he did not leave Haran till Terah died.

It is not necessary to believe from Genesis 11:26" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 11:26 that Abram, Nahor, and Haran were all born in the same year, but simply that Terah had no children till he was 70, and then had three sons born at intervals. In Genesis 5:32," TARGET="_blank">Genesis 5:32, we have an instance of the same thing, when we read that “Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth,” and yet Genesis 10:21" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 10:21 tells us Japheth was older than Shem. It is equally clear that Abram was not the eldest of the three brothers. He and Shem are put first because of their importance as the progenitors of the chosen race and the Messiah. It is generally held that Haran was the eldest, born when Terah was 70, and that Abram came into the world 6o years later. This would account for the fact that he and his nephew Lot, son of Haran, seem to have been much of the same standing. Besides, we are distinctly told that Abraham was 75 when at the death of Terah, he departed out of Haran. He was born, therefore, when his father was 130 years of age.

W.H.

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What is Confirmation?

What is Confirmation?

Confirmation is one of seven sacraments performed in some churches including Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran churches. In some instances the sacrament of confirmation is a ritual where a youth becomes a full member of the church. Sometimes a person is given a special name, often of a saint. Confirming one’s faith is a way of declaring that the person is a Christian who understands and accepts the beliefs of the faith.

One would look in vain to find anyone in the Bible practicing the ritual of confirmation as seen in many churches today. We don’t begin life as a Christian and then confirm it at a ceremony. Instead of CONFIRMING someone as a Christian, the Bible’s message of salvation begins with CONDEMNING us as sinners. Romans chapter one two and three making it quite clear that nobody is righteous – that is nobody is a Christian as they begin life, regardless of how religious of a heritage they may have. Therefore, the only fact that can be confirmed in a person is that they did NOT begin life as a Christian – they are sinful and need to be saved.

Romans 3:9-23" TARGET="_blank">Romans 3:9-23 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, (10) as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; (11) no one understands; no one seeks for God. (12) All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." (19) Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. (20) For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin… For there is no distinction: (23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

There are plenty of people found in the Bible who declare their faith in Christ receiving Him as their savior. These people acknowledge their guilt and then trust Christ as a Savior. The confirmation of one’s salvation that is Biblical is found in the fact that trusting Christ is sufficient to know that one has eternal life.

1 John 5:9-13" TARGET="_blank">1 John 5:9-13 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. (10) Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. (11) And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (12) Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (13) I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.

Shad David Sluiter

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Does God punish sin on earth? Does God punish sin only in Hell?

“Does God punish sin on earth? Does God punish sin only in Hell?”

Interesting question, and to answer it we need to clarify the terms we use. When it comes to an authority dealing with behavior that is undesired, there are two basic motivations called “punishment” and “vengeance”. Others use the terms “discipline” or “correction” for what I call “punishment”, and “punishment” for what I call “vengeance”, but I think my terms are more biblically accurate.

Whatever the words, God and earthly governments do both.

Using my terms, a “punishment” is like a “spanking”, something bad that is administered with the intent of changing the character of the one being punished. This is done so he may rejoin society as a disciplined, productive member. “Vengeance”, on the other hand, has no goal but to make an example of the punished one so others are afraid to try the same thing, and to protect society at large by removing the threat the lawbreaker represents. One looks to help the guilty one, the other looks primarily at minimizing losses to the whole and protecting the authority of the government. It may be argued that the consequences of law often may very well do both, but the motivation behind each remains distinctly different. And there are clear cases where there is no overlap.

God does both in this life as well. He clearly punishes people with the intent of driving them away from evil and toward Himself. We read He spanks His children in ways that seem “grievous” (Hebrews 12:6)," TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 12:6), and also read that He in a general way “chastiseth (spanks) the heathen” (Psalm 94:10)," TARGET="_blank">Psalm 94:10), the ones who do not yet know Him. “Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth” (Heb. 12:6)" TARGET="_blank">Heb. 12:6) . . . lots of love here.

But He also executes “vengeance” (Romans 12:19)" TARGET="_blank">Romans 12:19) in this life as a means of declaring and enforcing His governmental authority over mankind. He forcefully tells us to stay out of that business on a personal level when it comes to dealing with people who harm us. The phrase in that verse is this: “’Vengeance is mine, I will repay’, saith the Lord”. That phrase is found virtually the same in four different Bible verses, the only statement I can think of so honored.

So He really takes this seriously.

Deadly diseases associated with specific violations of His commandments are a clear example of this, as can be premature deaths by various tragedies. “The wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.” (Colossians 3:6)" TARGET="_blank">Colossians 3:6) . . . no love here, just wrath.

Even righteous members of a society may suffer as He executes vengeance on the whole.

To get back to the question, when it comes to hell there is no punishment, there are no spankings, only the raw endless fury of vengeance to prove to the universe that He is God and what He says goes. Hear these solemn words spoken to Christians suffering at the hands of wicked people: “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to

recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9)" TARGET="_blank">2 Thessalonians 1:6-9) Everlasting Fire – no purgatory, no hope, nothing but vengeance.

The time for corrective punishment is in this life. God is to be greatly feared, and those who refuse to do so in this life, refuse His “spankings” with the intent of driving them to the Savior, will have all of eternity to regret it.

Alfred Corduan

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