Why is the fourth commandment (the Sabbath) different?

Please say why the Fourth Commandment is dealt with as being morally different from the rest. It will be agreed that it is wrong for Christians to steal, murder, etc. Why should it not be morally wrong for Christians not to observe the seventh day of rest?

We regard the Fourth Commandment as being morally different from the others, because apart from God’s revealed will for Israel as regards it, no natural conscience could possibly know that it was wrong to work on the seventh day, as is found to be the case by missionaries in heathen lands. The nations round Israel were never put under the Sabbath law, knew nothing about it, and are never held responsible for not keeping it. At least, I know of no place in the Prophets where not keeping the Sabbath is charged home on them.

A Gentile who sets himself to keep the Sabbath is doing himself a wrong, as he is now a debtor to do the whole law. He is taking on himself that which in no way appertains to him. He is going beyond what is written, which is wrong, just as coming short is, too. The Sabbath was a sign between Jehovah and the children of Israel for ever, and was never given to the Gentiles at all (Exodus 31: 16," TARGET="_blank">Exodus 31: 16, i7). All the other Commandments are repeated in substance in the New Testament, but the Sabbath is only referred to in Colossians z. i6, to warn believers not to allow themselves to be placed under bondage in that respect—”Let no man judge you,” etc. A certain modern heretical sect, of which Sabbath-keeping is a distinguishing feature, is so far right, in maintaining that the Sabbath was never changed from the seventh day to the first. The first day of the week, on which our Lord rose from the dead, is not a Sabbath at all; it is the Lord’s Day; though believers, are glad to profit by the usual freedom from secular employment on that day, to occupy themselves with the Lord’s service. The breaking of bread was usually in the evening (e.g. Acts 20" TARGET="_blank">Acts 20: ), because believers were at work all day in those times. Really a fictitious conscience has grown up as regards this question. We ought not to violate our conscience or that of others, by forcing or disregarding it, but to get an enlightened conscience from the Word of God.

W.H.

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Could Old Testament believers be lost?

Could Old Testament believers be lost?

Perhaps rephrasing the question will help in answering it. Were Old Testament saints saved by works, by mutual contract or covenant, or by grace? If their salvation was by grace, through the value of the Savior's death (and is there another way? Acts 4:12;" TARGET="_blank">Acts 4:12; Hebrews 9:22)" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 9:22) then how could it be lost or be merely an intermittent relationship with God? The natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:14)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 2:14). The carnal mind is at enmity with God and those who are in the flesh cannot please God (Romans 8:7, 8)." TARGET="_blank">Romans 8:7, 8). Therefore, to have understood truth from God, walked with God in fellowship or pleased God, believers in a past age must have become spiritually alive. How could they (or any saved person) revert to a condition of spiritual death? David's clear statement in Psalm 32:1" TARGET="_blank">Psalm 32:1 indicates the assurance he had of forgiveness and of an unchanging position before God that included no imputation of guilt by heaven's court (Romans 4:6, 7)." TARGET="_blank">Romans 4:6, 7).

E. Higgins

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What is the gift of speaking in tongues?

The gift of tongues is a God-given ability to speak another human language without ever studying or growing up in the language. The gift of tongues is a miraculous ability. The Bible has several references to people who had the gift of tongues.

The Bible's Example the Gift of Tongues

The first mention in the Bible of people having the gift of tongues is found in Acts 2:1-4" TARGET="_blank">Acts 2:1-4 during the Jewish festival of Pentecost. The apostles were instructed by Christ to wait in Jerusalem to be empowered by the Holy Spirit. On the Day of Pentecost, the apostles spoke to the crowds gathered in Jerusalem who had come from all parts of the world. Each nationality and tribe heard the Apostles speak in the language or dialect from which they had traveled. The Apostles, however, were local fishermen, who had never traveled or studied foreign languages.

“We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (Acts 2:11" TARGET="_blank">Acts 2:11

Although there are other occasions in which people spoke in tongues (languages), Acts 2" TARGET="_blank">Acts 2 is the only chapter where the nature of the tongue is described.

Regulating the Gift of Tongues in the Church

The Church in the city of Corinth was have a lot of problems, including the unrestrained and chaotic use of the gift of tongues. Paul mentions several times the importance of speaking intelligibly in order to help people.

“But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue” (1 Corinthians 14:19)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 14:19).

1 Corinthians 12:1" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 12:1 through 1 Corinthians 14" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 14: is an extended discussion about regulating how tongues should be used in the church. The gift of tongues was designed to help people understand a word from God even if the evangelist normally didn't speak the language of the person listening.

“Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?” (1 Corinthians 14:6)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 14:6).

The Gift of Interpreting

Similar to the gift of tongues is the gift of interpreting (1 Corinthians 12:30)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 12:30). Normally to be able to interpret for another speaker, the interpreter needs to study or grow up speaking two languages. The gift of interpretation is a super-natural capability to understand a foreign language in order to tell the listener what is being said.

The End of the Gift of Tongues

The gift of tongues was given by God to call the attention of the Jews to the fact that new prophets were on the scene in Jerusalem. Every person in the Bible who was able to perform miracles was given their amazing abilities in order to authenticate that their message was indeed from God. For example, Moses, who wrote the first five books of the Bible, performed many miracles. Later, men like Elijah and Elisha spoke authoritatively for God and had the ability to perform miracles. The Apostles, who were delivering a new message, the gospel of Jesus Christ, which would eventually become the New Testament, also had the divine seal of authority from God, namely the ability to perform miracles, including the gift of tongues.

First Corinthians 13:8" TARGET="_blank">First Corinthians 13:8 says that gift of tongues would cease along with the completion of the revelation of God given through the apostles. No new messages need to come from God today since the collection of books of the Bible is complete.

1 Corinthians 13:8-10" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 13:8-10 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. (9) For we know in part and we prophesy in part, (10) but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

Does the gift of tongues as seen today match the Biblical example?

Those who claim to have the gift of tongues today often have a very different form of tongues than that found in the example of Acts 2." TARGET="_blank">Acts 2. Random vocal sounds are attributed to being "a heavenly language". No trace of grammar, vocabulary or similarity to any known langue can be found. How different that what we find in scripture, “If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God” (1 Corinthians 14:27-28)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 14:27-28).

I speak in tongues

I went to Mexico as a missionary in 2006 where I studied for over a year every day with many hours of practice. If I had been given the gift of tongues, I would have saved a lot of time and frustration. Acts 2" TARGET="_blank">Acts 2 is not the normal experience for today since we have a full Bible.

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Where did Old Testament believers go when they died?

PARADISE

Is there any truth in the idea that the Lord, when He arose, changed the place of the Old Testament saints from some Paradise below, to be with Himself in a Paradise above?

We may eliminate from this consideration, Enoch and Elijah, who are clearly exceptional. Exactly into what part of the heavenly sphere they were introduced is not revealed. Even did we know, it would tell us nothing about the dead. It is clear, however, that the Old Testament saints did not go at death to be “with Christ,” not for the reason alleged by some, that they were not forgiven, etc., for they clearly were (see Psalm 32:1-2)," TARGET="_blank">Psalm 32:1-2), and that on the ground of the work of Christ, yet to be accomplished.

The reason was that as yet there was no Christ, in the Theanthropic sense, for them to be with. He had not yet died and risen nor “brought life and immortality to light, through the gospel,” though ever in the bosom of the Father as the only-begotten Son of God. As for those who died in Old Testament times, such expressions are met with as, “He slept with his father,” “He fell on sleep,” “Descended to the grave,” the idea being that the dead went down into Sheol, the unseen world (Hades of New Testament). See Jacob’s words (Genesis 37:35)," TARGET="_blank">Genesis 37:35), where he could not have meant a literal grave, as he believed Joseph devoured, and so, not buried.

In Numbers 16:33" TARGET="_blank">Numbers 16:33 we read that Korah, Dathan and Abiram went down alive into the pit (Sheol). The case of Samuel (1 Samuel 28" TARGET="_blank">1 Samuel 28:) may occur to some. The Scriptures do not say that the witch brought up Samuel. On the contrary, when she saw the strange apparition, she cried out, presumably in fear. I have no doubt that God in his sovereignty did bring Samuel’s spirit up from Paradise (not his body, for that was buried at Ramah, fifty miles away), for the express object of conveying to Saul the news of his approaching end, On the morrow, Saul and his sons would be with Samuel in the unseen world.

Sheol never** represents the literal grave, but some other word is always used of it, like “Qeber” or “akath.” Psalm i6. to makes it plain that the Lord in spirit went to Sheol, and His body to the grave. That saint and sinner went to one general place, before the resurrection, is clear from Luke 16," TARGET="_blank">Luke 16, where our Lord lifts the veil of the unseen world in the intermediate state. The word there is “Hades.” True the saved were far-off from the lost, there being “a great gulf” fixed between the Paradise of the blessed and the place of torment, but still they were within seeing and speaking distance. Why should this be incredible, even if we had not our Lord’s words for it?

The Tower of London was for a long period in two sections—a royal palace and a state prison. It meant everything, which part a man went to, It was into Paradise that the Lord descended in Spirit, and where He welcomed the repentant thief. Can we suppose that only three days after, He left this trophy of grace behind? Did no benefits accrue to the saints confined there? The resurrection of Christ had mighty effects on the universe—He filled it: on the Church—He bestowed on her His spiritual gifts: on the Old Testament saints—”He led captivity captive,” that is, I believe, He set them free from their cabined and confined condition, and took them to be with Himself, henceforth in the Paradise above. This may throw light on the words in Hebrews 2:14," TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 2:14, “to deliver them who through fear of death,” etc. The word here translated, “deliver,” depotes usually a change of place, a release, a removal. The change did not mean, of course, that they were raised, but translated to be “with Christ” in a new sphere. Thither Paul was caught up, temporarily (2 Corinthians 12:4)," TARGET="_blank">2 Corinthians 12:4), and permanently at His decease ”Absent from the body . . . present with the Lord,” awaiting the perfect condition of glory at the resurrection
day. W.H.

** Psalm 141." TARGET="_blank">Psalm 141. 7 (though the Authorised Version gives “grave” for “sheol”) is no exception. Bones are not scattered at the grave’s mouth, but buried in it. The idea is rather of bones left unburied, on the brink of Hades—the unseen world, where the owners of the bones had entered. Dr. Tregelles trarilate, sheol here as elaewhere—Hades

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Were the 7 men appointed in Acts 6 "deacons"?

Were the 7 men appointed in Acts 6" TARGET="_blank">Acts 6 "deacons"?

Two words related to the word "deacon" appear in this passage. Twice the word, "the service of deacons," is used: "neglected in the daily ministration" Acts 6:1);" TARGET="_blank">Acts 6:1); "to the ministry of the Word" (verse 4). The other word, "to serve as deacons," is in verse 2: "leave the Word of God, and serve tables." Administering the care of widows in the assembly became an issue. To the Twelve, their deacon service with God’s Word had higher priority, so this deacon work should be entrusted to others. The qualifications for this work are all spiritual and moral (verse 3). Later, the issue in Antioch was Jews eating with Gentiles (Galatians 2:12, 13)." TARGET="_blank">Galatians 2:12, 13). Here, although all were saved Jews, some distinction - based on whether or not they spoke the language of the Gentiles, Greek - affected the widows eating. Seven men whose names indicate that they spoke Greek met the qualifications. The Spirit guided in this doctrinal issue by beginning to remove ethnic distinctions among believers. The apostles identified themselves with the seven men (verse 6) and the transfer of deacon work took place seamlessly. These seven did deacon work, but they did not have the title, "deacons." They did not assume an office; they had the responsibility of a work.

D. Oliver
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Is the Internet a worse influence than television for a Christian?

We often hear ministry warning against television, but isn’t the Internet worse?

The Internet’s pollution is both worse and constantly available; however, its email service and volumes of information can be spiritually and educationally helpful. This highlights an important difference. We could hardly watch the news coverage, commercials, and programming of television without being bombarded by its unbiblical values, but we can use the Internet without accessing its corruption. One alternative for believers is that some software and some Internet providers limit access to the Internet’s defilement; nevertheless, computers in the work place and in public libraries still provide full Internet access. In an increasingly immoral world, we must, as never before, teach and motivate one another and our children to make right choices, avoiding the serious consequences of choosing otherwise. We can "use," but not "abuse" (1 Corinthians 7:31)" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 7:31) the Internet, a choice that hardly exists with television.

D. Oliver
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What does Nebuchadnezzar's dream mean in Daniel 2?

What is the meaning of the image in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2:31-45)" TARGET="_blank">Daniel 2:31-45)?

King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem and therefore considered that his gods had overcome the God of Israel, Jehovah (Daniel 1:2)." TARGET="_blank">Daniel 1:2). God gave him a dream of future events (2:28). Demonstrating that He could reveal the unknown, God revealed to Daniel both the dream, that only the king knew, and also its interpretation. Thus the Lord affirmed to Nebuchadnezzar that He knew and controlled the future and that He had given the king his kingdom (verse 37). This dream also helped God’s people because it informed them of the course, extent, and conclusion of the troublesome "times of the Gentiles," the period when Jerusalem is under Gentile control (Luke 21:24)." TARGET="_blank">Luke 21:24).

The dream centered around an image composed of four metals: a head of gold, arms of silver, torso of brass, and legs of iron (verses 3 1-33). Daniel interpreted these as four kingdoms, beginning with the Babylonian empire (verses 37-40). In keeping with the revelations in Daniel 7, 8,9," TARGET="_blank">Daniel 7, 8,9, and 11, the other three kingdoms are Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Roman. Viewed from head to feet, the image had metals of decreasing value, a reflection of the increasingly less autocratic structure of the successive kingdoms. The "iron kingdom" is a divided kingdom (verse 41) because at the image’s feet the iron was mixed with clay, an unstable combination. Since the kingdoms are sequential, this suggests that the Roman kingdom is viewed in one form, iron, and a later form, iron and clay. Between these two forms is most of the present Church age.

Daniel draws attention to the toes of the image and their instability (verses 42, 43). When he then refers to "these kings" (verse 44), Daniel seems to be interpreting the toes as kings, 10 in number. In the days of this 10-king confederacy of the revived Roman Empire, a stone "cut out without hands" struck and destroyed the image in the king’s dream and became a great mountain (verses 34, 35). Thus, as Daniel’s subsequent visions reveal, the revived Roman kingdom, over which "the Beast" will reign (Revelation 13:1, 2; 17:11-14)," TARGET="_blank">Revelation 13:1, 2; 17:11-14), will end when our Lord, the Stone rejected, yet exalted (Matthew 21:42, 44)," TARGET="_blank">Matthew 21:42, 44), will destroy Gentile power and establish His everlasting kingdom.

D.Oliver
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What causes the conflict within a believer?

What causes the conflict within a believer?

The conflict often attributed to "the believer's two natures" is between the flesh and the Spirit (Gal 5:17)." TARGET="_blank">Gal 5:17). In Romans 7:23," TARGET="_blank">Romans 7:23, the conflict is because the "law in my members" wars against "the law of my mind." The principle (or law) affecting the believer's mind delights in God's law (verse 22). The principle "in my members" is "the flesh," which invariably tends toward sin and, for all Adam's fallen posterity, is endemic to a body of flesh. Apart from redemption, this "law of sin which is in my members" is inseparable from a body of flesh; for a believer this link will be severed at the rapture. The "mind of the flesh" (Romans 8:7," TARGET="_blank">Romans 8:7, JND) controls an unbeliever's spirit and soul; it will characterize him forever.

Galatians 5:17" TARGET="_blank">Galatians 5:17 accords with Romans 8:1-4" TARGET="_blank">Romans 8:1-4 in teaching that the transforming power in a believer's life is the indwelling Spirit (Romans 8:9)." TARGET="_blank">Romans 8:9). The Spirit, Who jealously desires that we should be all for God (James 4:5)," TARGET="_blank">James 4:5), cannot peacefully coexist with the flesh. The flesh will never submit to God or delight in righteousness. The conflict will never cease while we are physically in the flesh - in a body of flesh. Because of redemption, we are no longer "in the flesh" morally (Romans 8:9)." TARGET="_blank">Romans 8:9). The controlling factor in our life is now the Spirit of God; we are "in the Spirit" (Romans 8:9)." TARGET="_blank">Romans 8:9). As we yield to the Spirit, righteousness will be expressed in our life. Until the Rapture, as long as we are in a body of flesh, however, the flesh will continue to resist this work of the Spirit.

D. Oliver
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Can the 144,000 be those who claim to be Jehovah's Witnesses?

Can the 144,000 be those who claim to be Jehovah's Witnesses?

"After these things" (Revelation 4:1" TARGET="_blank">Revelation 4:1 JND), when John was caught up to heaven, as the Church will be, begins the section of the book described by the identical words, "the things...after these' (Revelation 1:19" TARGET="_blank">Revelation 1:19 JND). The identification of the 144,000 in this section precedes the winds of trouble that will "hurt the earth" (Revelation 7:1,2)." TARGET="_blank">Revelation 7:1,2). Considering that references to the 12 tribes are always literal, that "12,000" is so often repeated (Revelation 7:5-8)" TARGET="_blank">Revelation 7:5-8) and must therefore be literal, and that the Bible itself interprets prophecy literally, these 144,000 must be Jews, from the actual 12 tribes. These same 144,000 (Revelation 14:1-5)" TARGET="_blank">Revelation 14:1-5) are with the Lamb on Mount Zion (not heaven) and learn on earth the song sung in heaven.

Their identification follows the rapture. Their preservation spans the tribulation time. Their sphere is earth. They cannot be the elite Gentile witnesses who, according to the Watchtower Society, will be the only "believers" in heaven from this age.

D. Oliver

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When did God create Satan and the angels?

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 in your answer. You may optionally include an email address. Answers will be reviewed.

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The Bible's Example the Gift of Tongues