Rosa and her son Jesus

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 Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth

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Ann Wielenga

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Printable Scale Model of Noah's Ark

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John Dennison

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1 Corinthians 6:1-6" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 6:1-6  When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?  (2)  Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?  (3)  Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!  (4)  So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church?  (5)  I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers,  (6)  but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?

There were problems in the church at Corinth with conflicts between brothers.  Christians should be above such petty behavior.  And then Paul suddenly writes the surprising statement that Christians will judge angels.  He adds no explanation in the immediate context to help us understand where, when or how this will happen. 

It is known from from Jude 1:6" TARGET="_blank">Jude 1:6 and 2 Peter 2:4," TARGET="_blank">2 Peter 2:4, 2 Peter 2:9" TARGET="_blank">2 Peter 2:9 that angels will be judged. It is also clear from scripture that Christ will be the Judge (John 5:22)." TARGET="_blank">John 5:22).  It must be that we are united to Christ that gives us this right to be involved with the judgment upon angels.  Since Christ will include us in this task in the future, shouldn’t we be able to handle matters of judgment in this life?

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HOUSEHOLD BAPTISM
Are those who teach what is known as “household baptism” justified in using the crossing of the Red Sea, referred to in  1 Corinthians 10" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 10: as a type of Christian baptism, and in asserting that,  as undoubtedly infants were carried across the Red Sea by their  mothers, they therefore were baptised unto Moses, and so infants  now should be baptised? 

Certainly these friends must be hard put to it to find authority for  their practice of baptising households to-day, if they have to go back  to this far off Old Testament event to justify it. We are asked, moreover,  to believe that had Moses and the elders held Believer’s Baptism, they  would have been obliged cruelly to leave all the infants on the west bank  of the Red Sea to the mercy of the pursuing Egyptians, on the plea that  such were not fit subjects for baptism. I remember one well-known  clergyman in Brighton (the “Reverend” H. B.), who wrote a tract to  justify the sprinkling of infants, and he built his argument on the  probability of the wind sprinkling the Israelitish infants, as they were  carried through the Red Sea. It seems hard to believe that fancy could  go further. We may be sure that no-one from Moses to the youngest  Israelitish mother had the slightest idea that a figure of Christian  baptism was being carried out during the crossing of the Red Sea. 

But if for the sake of argument, all who shared in the crossing were  baptised, then this was true of “the mixed multitude” and of the flocks  and the herds. Perhaps those who christen bells and ships rely on this  passage. We see, however, from Numbers 4" TARGET="_blank">Numbers 4 that the children did not  count, but only those of Israel who were numbered “from twenty years  old and upward,” for in verses 29 and 33 a difference is made between  those who were numbered (v. 29) and their children (v. 33). Whereas  the former (except Caleb and Joshua) would be excluded for good, all  the children would be brought in when their fathers’ carcases were wasted  in the wilderness. We may be sure that the infants no more shared in  the baptism of the Red Sea, than in the daily eating of the manna and  drinking from the rock that followed them. No doubt it is legitimate  to see in the crossing of the Red Sea a figure of the death and resurrection  of Christ and of believers’ association with Him, but it is not,  properly speaking, a figure of Christian baptism, for that would be a  case of a figure representing a figure. Rather what is set forth is what has already taken place for all believers, namely, their baptism in the Spirit. Christi n baptism is in no way in view in 1 Cor 10" TARGET="_blank">1 Cor 10 and it is a great mistake to think that wherever the slightly different word, “baptismos” that occurs in our Authorised (e.g., Mark 7:4, 8;" TARGET="_blank">Mark 7:4, 8; Hebrews 6: 2;" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 6: 2; Hebrews 9:10)," TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 9:10), The reference clearly is to the ceremonial purifications of the Levitical service.

William Hoste

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What the bible says about loaning money to family

There are some Biblical principles about lending money to friends, family, fellow-believers and business accociates.  First, a general principle about debt is "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender's slave"(Proverbs 22:7)." TARGET="_blank">Proverbs 22:7).  In a family, people should be treated as brothers rather than masters.  Perhaps you could avoid straining a relationship with a family member by getting money from a bank instead of a family member.

Loaning Money to Unbelievers

In the Old Testament, the law prohibited the Jews from charging money to each other.  "You shall not charge interest to your countrymen: interest on money, food, or anything that may be loaned at interest" (Deuteronomy 23:19)." TARGET="_blank">Deuteronomy 23:19). You may charge interest to a foreigner, but to your countryman you shall not charge interest, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land which you are about to enter to possess" (Deuteronomy 23:20)." TARGET="_blank">Deuteronomy 23:20).

Collecting Bad Loans

Christians should be willing to release money if the loan goes bad.  Ask your questions BEFORE loaning money.  What is the loan for?  How will it be paid back?  Is there a guarantee collateral?  Once the money is out of your hands, you no longer have control of it.  With a Christian relationship on the line, the Bible says "Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?" (1 Corinthians 6:1)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 6:1). We are told that it is better to be defrauded than to lose our witness by suing one another (1 Corinthians 6:7)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 6:7).

Christian Attitudes toward People

The Christian standard of exacting money shows our attitudes toward relationships. People are more important than possessions and relationships with others should be preserved even at the loss of personal belongings.  

Luke 6:34" TARGET="_blank">Luke 6:34: "If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, in order to receive back the same amount."

Luke 6:30-31," TARGET="_blank">Luke 6:30-31, "Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. And just as you want people to treat you, treat them in the same way."

A gift as an alternative to a loan

If your friend or family member is asking for a loan and has a legitimate need, that means he needs help.  A loan is a nice way of giving people short-term help in a real way.  However, if you have a healthy relationship that you don't wish to put into jeopardy, consider giving him a gift instead.  Philippians 2:3" TARGET="_blank">Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

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Judges 9:51-54" TARGET="_blank">Judges 9:51-54  But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women and all the leaders of the city fled to it and shut themselves in, and they went up to the roof of the tower.  (52)  And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.  (53)  And a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull.  (54)  Then he called quickly to the young man his armor-bearer and said to him, "Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, 'A woman killed him.'" And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

Judges 16:25-30" TARGET="_blank">Judges 16:25-30  And when their hearts were merry, they said, "Call Samson, that he may entertain us." So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them. They made him stand between the pillars.  (26)  And Samson said to the young man who held him by the hand, "Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them."  (27)  Now the house was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about 3,000 men and women, who looked on while Samson entertained.  (28)  Then Samson called to the LORD and said, "O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes."  (29)  And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other.  (30)  And Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines." Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life.

1 Samuel 31:3-6" TARGET="_blank">1 Samuel 31:3-6  The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers.  (4)  Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me." But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it.  (5)  And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him.  (6)  Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together.

2 Samuel 17:22-24" TARGET="_blank">2 Samuel 17:22-24  Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they crossed the Jordan. By daybreak not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.  (23)  When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.  (24)  Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel.

1 Kings 16:15-19" TARGET="_blank">1 Kings 16:15-19  In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines,  (16)  and the troops who were encamped heard it said, "Zimri has conspired, and he has killed the king." Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp.  (17)  So Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.  (18)  And when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king's house and burned the king's house over him with fire and died,  (19)  because of his sins that he committed, doing evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and for his sin which he committed, making Israel to sin.

Matthew 27:3-5" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 27:3-5  Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders,  (4)  saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." They said, "What is that to us? See to it yourself."  (5)  And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.

Other Information about Teen Suicide / Suicide Thoughts

Read the story of Joel Hovey , who decided one day that he would commit suicide, but then found peace in God instead.

You might also be asking the following questions about suicide...

• Is the sin of suicide a special, unforgivable sin?
• Can a Christian commit suicide? 
• Why does God allow us to experience trials and suffering?
• Is going to the doctor a sign of weak faith?

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