Why have a Bible class or ministry meeting during Sunday School?

Why do assemblies have a Bible class or ministry meeting during Sunday School?

What better occupation could engage the parents of children in the Sunday School or the believers who have an interest in this work? If unbelievers come, what an opportunity to tell them the gospel! In the setting of the Sunday School, a Bible class can be more personal than the weekly Bible Reading and still be an effective way to teach the Scriptures. If the assembly chooses to use this time for a ministry meeting, could we think for one moment that such preaching of the Word is "out of season" (2 Timothy 4:2)" TARGET="_blank">2 Timothy 4:2)? The more believers are exposed to "sound doctrine," the more spiritually healthy they become. Every assembly ought to provide ample opportunity for profitable ministry.

D. Oliver
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“What are the Gates of Hell?”

This phrase is used only once in the Bible, Jesus speaking to Peter about the Rock on which He would build his church, and “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 16:18) These gates are clearly a force trying to “prevail” or win over the Church. So . . .

what can it be?

First of all, the word for hell here is the Greek word “Hades” which is also translated “grave”. Revelation 20:13" TARGET="_blank">Revelation 20:13 tells us that Hades holds dead people, and delivers them up for the final judgment, so it is like a prison. It is given as the place where the rich man in Luke 16 ended up, burning in flames. In Revelation 6:8" TARGET="_blank">Revelation 6:8 Hades comes as a person, following along behind Death on a pale, sickly green horse, so the prison has a ghastly warden.

We can look at these “gates” then in two related ways. One is as a devil-manned fortification trying to capture and hold conquered prisoners. Many verses - such as 2 Timothy 2:26" TARGET="_blank">2 Timothy 2:26 - talk about the devil holding people captive.

The other is based on the ancient custom of conducting all governmental business in “the gates” of the city, the place where the judges and legislators sat. In that case “the gates” represent more generally the authority structure of the devil as he commands his minions to try to undermine everything Jesus and His Church are trying to do. Perhaps not much difference when all is said and done, since the Savior’s business is freeing prisoners from Satan’s grasp.

So what about Jesus and His Church? Acts 2:31" TARGET="_blank">Acts 2:31 tells us that the Savior’s soul could not be held in Hades, just like His body could not

be held in the tomb. He crashed those gates open, raided the Enemy, disarming him (Colossians 2:15)" TARGET="_blank">Colossians 2:15) and leading the Captor captive (Eph. 4:8 1)." TARGET="_blank">Eph. 4:8 1). Jesus and His Church are seen, frankly, laughing at Hades’ weakness and defeat (1 Corinthians 15:55)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 15:55). We read that the Lord Jesus now has the keys to those gates (Revelation 1:18)." TARGET="_blank">Revelation 1:18). With those keys in hand He has all authority in every place, and expects His Church to extract as many prisoners from the devil’s clutches as possible while there still is time.

C. T. Studd was a wealthy young man in the 1800s who was also a world-class athlete in cricket. He turned his back on all of that and gave his life to missionary work on two continents, seeing people saved. A couplet he wrote expresses his keen awareness of the role the Lord Jesus gave the Church with regard to these “gates” and what he intended to do about it with the time and money he had:

“Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.”

When it comes to winning lost souls the Church has full authority and power to see them “delivered … from the power of darkness, and … translated into the kingdom of His (God’s) dear Son.” (Colossians 1:13) Hades’ gates can’t defeat us but must give way time and time again. If you are not saved, I hope and pray that you will be among those we can see sprung out in time.

Alfred Corduan

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How does a saved person have "the rightousness of God"?

To what does "the righteousness of God" (Romans 3:22)" TARGET="_blank">Romans 3:22) refer?

Gods court and law requires righteousness. Romans 3:10" TARGET="_blank">Romans 3:10 flatly states that the defendant (man) has not satisfied the requirement. Man is guilty. "Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus," the guilty is pronounced "right with God," justified (verse 24). The "propitiation" (verse 25) has satisfied the requirements of the court and the Judge pronounces that the guilty has a righteous standing. This righteous standing is the "righteousness of God" that the law didnt produce, but was "witnessed by the law and the prophets" (verse 21, see also Romans 4:1-8)." TARGET="_blank">Romans 4:1-8).

This "righteousness of God" is received by faith, apart from merit, solely through the blood of Christ (verse 22, with Romans 5:1; 3:24; 5:9)." TARGET="_blank">Romans 5:1; 3:24; 5:9). It is not an exchanged righteousness - a record of sin removed and a record of righteousness replacing it. It is a righteousness based on Gods requirements being met by the sacrifice. Neither is this an engrafted righteousness, as though we now possess an attribute of God, the righteousness of God. It is a righteous standing, declared and accounted by God and based on the satisfaction God has received from the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ.

D. Oliver
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Should unbelievers or believers not in the fellowship do work around the Hall?

Should unbelievers or believers not in the fellowship do work around the Hall?

Noting a distinction between the building and the assembly will help in answering this question. Service that specifically deals with the assembly, its spiritual growth, and its teaching is the responsibility and privilege of those in that assembly's fellowship. Some in the fellowship of other assemblies could also offer appropriate help.

Meals that the assembly provides or building maintenance are not specifically service within the assembly. In all such cases, the assembly is responsible to oversee these matters so that the assembly's testimony is not compromised. The appointment of seven men over the daily ministration to the widows in the Jerusalem assembly supports this (Acts 6:1-6)." TARGET="_blank">Acts 6:1-6).

If an assembly hired an unbelieving contractor for some aspect of work on its building, this is entirely appropriate. The building is not the assembly. If an assembly pays individuals or a company to prepare or serve food for an assembly function, this, too, is appropriate. Two issues apply in both of these cases: the stewardship of funds and the preservation of testimony. The amount of spending involved should be within bounds consistent with handling funds specifically given to the Lord (2Co 8:5)." TARGET="_blank">2Co 8:5). The people involved should not be individuals or businesses whose character damages the assembly's testimony (Romans 12:17" TARGET="_blank">Romans 12:17b).

Within these boundaries, overseers must make discretionary decisions based on scriptural principles.

D. Oliver
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My friend has doubts about his salvation. How can I help?

How can we help a person when we doubt his profession of salvation?

The Lord seems to have dealt with people on the basis of what they claimed to be, even when He knew their claim was false. He addressed the Samaritan woman as a worshiper (John 4:20-24)," TARGET="_blank">John 4:20-24), the lawyer as an honest questioner (Luke 10:29-37)," TARGET="_blank">Luke 10:29-37), and the womans accusers as defenders of the law (John 8:6-9)." TARGET="_blank">John 8:6-9). He kept the channel of communication open, but immediately, graciously, and wisely used that open channel to convey truth that worked effectively to expose their position. By limiting our ability to communicate further with individuals, we can no longer help them. When we maintain a channel of communication, we can effectively communicate Gods living, powerful Word (Heb. 4:12)." TARGET="_blank">Heb. 4:12).

Allowing for the possibility that our assessment is mistaken, we can pray for him, take a genuine interest in him, and act on his claim to be saved: feed him with Gods Word and talk often about the Savior and salvation with him. A lack of response to Gods Word, transformation in the life, and appreciation for the value of the cross indicates a lack of spiritual life.

If he is not saved, the channel of communication remains open for seeing him saved. If he is saved, cultivating spiritual growth fulfils the responsibility to "disciple all nations" (Matthew 28:19)." TARGET="_blank">Matthew 28:19).

D. Oliver
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Does the New Testament contain references to musical instruments in the church?

Does the word "singing" (1 Corinthians 14:15;" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 5:19)" TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 5:19) imply musical instruments?

The basis of this question is the derivation of the word, "psallo," used 5 times in the New Testament and translated "sing," "sing psalms," or "making melody." The noun translated "psalm" (psalmos) comes from this verb. W. E. Vine gives the meaning as "primarily ‘to twitch, twang,’ then, ‘to play a stringed instrument with the fingers,"’ and adds that it means "in the New Testament, ‘to sing a hymn, sing praise."’ Similarly, Vincent states, "The verb, however, is used in the New Testament of singing praise generally."

The derivation of a word adds color to the meaning but does not define the word. Ephesians 5:19" TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 5:19 uses both forms of the word in a way that clearly removes them from the thought of an accompanying instrument. The noun, "psalms," is linked with speech and not music, "speaking to yourselves in psalms. The verb, "sing," cannot involve instrumental music when Paul says, "making melody in your heart."

D. Oliver

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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
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Can you explain the contradictions in regards to the age of Baasha mentioned in the Bible?

According to 1 Kings 15:33" TARGET="_blank">1 Kings 15:33 Baasha began to reign over Israel in the third year of Asa, king of Judah, and reigned twenty-four years, making his death occur In the twenty-seventh year of Asa’s reign. In 2 Chron. xvi. i, however, we read that Baasha came up against Judah in the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, i.e., nine years after his death, according to the chronology in ‘Kings. How can this discrepancy be explained?

The natural way of explaining such a difficulty would be to say that there has evidently been a transcriber’s error—_”tllirty_sjxth year of Asa” in 2 Chronicles 16:1," TARGET="_blank">2 Chronicles 16:1, for thirty-sixth year. Baasha would then have become king early in the 3rd year of Asa, and reigned 24 years, a part of a year counting a year. Baasha would then have died probably toward the close of Asa’s z6th year, and have been succeeded by Elah his son in the same year. Such an error would in no way affect the inspiration of the Bible, but only manifest the carelessness of the transcriber. I once found in a new French Bible the following sentence:
“God resists the humble and gives grace to the proud.” I at once wrote to the B. & F.B.S., and far from accusing me of attacking the inspiration of the Scriptures, they thanked me and had a new sheet printed and inserted in the First Epistle of Peter in this French edition. It is certain that, apart from the inspiration of God, by which the chronicler wrote, he, as a man, had access to the Books of Kings, etc., and was quite as capable of noticing the discrepancy as the present questioner and answerer. Besides, if it was a transcriber’s error, why was it left and why did no variety of reading spring up? Again, the numbers “thirty-six” and “twenty-six” are very distinct in the Hebrew, and are given not in numbers, but in words, “twenty” being “‘esrim,” and “thirty,” shelöshim,” which are not easily confused, so why should we not seek some other explanation? There are good authorities who believe that the thirty-sixth year of Asa in Chronicles really refers to the year of the division of the kingdoms, which would be the i6th year of his reign. This fits in much better with the time necessary for the wars between Asa and Baasha, the building of Ramah; and this mode of reckoning was, in all likelihood, in general use at the time. In any case, if we knew all, all would be plain, and we can fall back with confidence on the words of the Apostle, “All Scripture,” (or Every Scripture) is given by inspiration of God.”

W.H.

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Should Christians fast?

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.

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Will the Church be sent to separate the wheat from the tares?

We read in Matthew 13:41" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 13:41: “The Son of Man shall send forth his angels and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity.”

Are we not right in understanding the angels here to be the Church glorified, and made equal to the angels, seeing we read in Hebrews 2:5," TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 2:5, “For unto the angels (the angels of chapter 1) hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.”?

No, it would be a great mistake to confound angels with the Church, as this questioner suggests. I do not know of any passage which teaches that the Church becomes angels, or indeed that any saints do. In Luke 20:36," TARGET="_blank">Luke 20:36, where our Lord uses the expression, “equal unto the angels,” it is only as to the question of their immortality (“neither shall they die any more”), that the children of the resurrection (not here oniy the Church) “are equal to the angels.” The next words add a point of blessing, in which these surpass the angels, “and are the children of God,” which the angels are not. I think Hebrews 2:5" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 2:5 argues rather against, than for, the thesis of the questioner. “The world to come” (i.e., the millennial age) will not be subjected to angels, which is another point of their inferiority to the Church, for that age will be subject to Christ, with Whom God associates not angels, but the many sons whom He is bringing to glory. If the angels are excluded from this rule, how can they be the same as the Church?

W.H.

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