How can Old Testament believers be saved by believing in Jesus?

How were Old Testament people saved. What did they understand about Christ and His sacrifice?

Statements like John 3:36, 14:6," TARGET="_blank">John 3:36, 14:6, Acts 4:12" TARGET="_blank">Acts 4:12 and I Timothy 2:5" TARGET="_blank">I Timothy 2:5 allow us to infer from Scripture that it is impossible to be saved apart from the work of Christ and personal faith in Him. That inference is justified by the clear teaching of Romans 3:25,26." TARGET="_blank">Romans 3:25,26. The statement "the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God" is linked with the propitiatory death of our Lord Jesus. He was the foreordained Lamb. His death was a certainty in the purposes of God and enabled God, in His forbearance, to forgive sin in light of a coming Calvary (Psalm 32:1)." TARGET="_blank">Psalm 32:1). It is wonderful to think of the Spirit of God gently dealing with a devout Hebrew who was searching for God and wondering what the significance of the many sacrifices was. I Peter 1:10," TARGET="_blank">I Peter 1:10,11 refers to those who searched diligently for the meaning and time of the fulfillment of prophecies relating to salvation. Imagine Daniel's awe when it was revealed to him that Messiah would be "cut off!" Many of those Old Testament believers could join us in singing, "O wondrous hour when God to me, a vision gave of Calvary."

E. Higgins

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How should a Christian dress for Church?

Does the Bible address the speech and dress of those speaking in the assembly?

Two principles guide us: those who speak are speaking for God (1 Peter 4: 11);" TARGET="_blank">1 Peter 4: 11); men like Elijah and John the Baptist, who spoke for God, dressed accordingly. Their clothing (2 Kings 1:8;" TARGET="_blank">2 Kings 1:8; Matthew 3:4)" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 3:4) was not luxurious (Matthew 11:8)" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 11:8) but rough (Zechariah 13:4)," TARGET="_blank">Zechariah 13:4), not reflecting the current trends but the character of their message. They were neither fashion plates or non-conformists. John preached repentance; his locale, locust diet, and leather girdle underlined this.

Clerical garb enhances position; flamboyant style flaunts personality; luxurious clothing exalts wealth; informal dress disparages reverence. Each of these in its own way dishonors Christ.

Nowadays, stiff formality may be distasteful to some and off-handedness or slang may appeal to others. However, such informality in our language and in our appearance conforms to the current spirit that belittles authority; it is therefore unsuitable for ministry and gospel preaching. Both the messenger and his message must underscore God's presence and the weight of speaking for God.

D. Oliver
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How does an assembly recognize its elders?

How does an assembly recognize its elders?

Paul gives the qualifications for men who will join an existing oversight in Ephesus (1 Timothy 3:1-7;" TARGET="_blank">1 Timothy 3:1-7; Acts 20:17)." TARGET="_blank">Acts 20:17). These still guide an assembly in recognizing its elders. In God’s design, an assembly operates on theocratic, not democratic, principles; it is subject to God’s will, not the people’s. The Lord, the Chief Shepherd, is supreme in each assembly. To produce this subjection to God, He supplies the assembly with a plurality of shepherds. By their own example and by divine enablement, these shepherds lead (1 Timothy 5:17," TARGET="_blank">1 Timothy 5:17, "rule," lead, attend to, WEV) the flock in recognizing elders the Lord provides for them. Elders affirm the Spirit’s work in making men overseers (Acts 20:28);" TARGET="_blank">Acts 20:28); they do not authoritatively make overseers. Unitedly dependent on the Spirit of wisdom (Isaiah 11:2)," TARGET="_blank">Isaiah 11:2), they communicate to the assembly their perception of God’s choice. In this way, the assembly recognizes its elders.

Overseers encourage the spiritual development of every young believer, perceive when a shepherd’s heart develops in some, and discern when that work has reached appropriate maturity in individuals. The Lord doesn’t "graduate" a class of new overseers. God’s work in each soul reaches maturity in its own time.

D. Oliver
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Should a young person seek the counsel of parents and elders about dating?

Should a young person seek the counsel of parents and elders about dating?

In cultures where elders or parents do not arrange a couple’s marriage this is important. The influence of a society that discounts the permanence of marriage will test the strength of a Christian marriage. Finding the right partner is a crucial choice and must be made carefully, yet marriage is a life-long commitment of two who generally have no experience in making such a momentous choice.

How wonderful that Christians have a wise heavenly Father to guide them by means of prayer and His Word! It is never too early in Christian life for a believer to submissively ask the Lord if and whom he should marry (1Pe 5:7)." TARGET="_blank">1Pe 5:7). In addition, wise Solomon tells us twice that "In the multitude of counselors there is safety" (Pro 11:14; 24:6)." TARGET="_blank">Pro 11:14; 24:6). Parents and elders ought to be people a young person respects for their wisdom and experience. Friends who are both spiritual and objective are also good candidates for inclusion in the "multitude of counselors." The brother and the sister in Christ who begin to keep company are each responsible before the Lord to determine His will for them in this matter (Rom 14:12)." TARGET="_blank">Rom 14:12). They cannot make their choice merely on either the advice of respected counselors or the conviction of their "dating partner" that their relationship is the Lord’s will. The input of others, however, should be weighed carefully, prayerfully, and as objectively as possible. The choice to date is not an irreversible choice, but believers should not make that choice lightly. To be kind and fair to each other, they should choose to spend time together only if each one would consider the other to be a reasonable candidate for marriage. The insights of trusted counselors can be helpful in assessing the prospective partner’s spirituality, personality, capabilities, habits, reliability, family background, and overall compatibility.

Years before dating is an issue, parents and elders can cultivate a relationship with these believers that will foster trust and enable effective and helpful communication in this important area. Before their children are thinking about dating, parents can promote family discussions that will help their children recognize important features they should weigh when thinking of a relationship with prospective marriage partners.

D. Oliver

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Are earthquakes a sign of the end of the world?

Are earthquakes a sign of the end of the world?

Jesus mentioned in Matthew 24" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 24 that there would be a number of signs that precede his return to the earth. These signs include false prophets claiming to be Christ, wars, famines and earthquakes.

Matthew 24:5-8" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 24:5-8 many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray. (6) And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. (7) For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. (8) All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

These signs will occur in the beginning of the time of tribulation, leading up to the key event mentioned in Matthew 24:15," TARGET="_blank">Matthew 24:15, the abomination of desolation, when the Antichrist takes up his position as a god worthy of worship.

There are no signs given to us to predict when Christ will return for His Church in the rapture. Any signs we can distinguish, whether politically, spiritually or physically, show us that Christ’s return to the Mount of Olives is coming closer. Make no mistake, that the current pace of earthquakes and wars will have no comparison with the time of tribulation.

Matthew 24:21-22" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 24:21-22 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. (22) And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

Shad Sluiter
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What is the meaning of "one flesh"?

What is the meaning of "one flesh"?

This was God’s intention at the institution of marriage (Genesis 2:24)." TARGET="_blank">Genesis 2:24). It expresses the oneness of a married couple. In this seminal statement, the Lord points out that a man leaves his role of obedience to his parents (although still responsible to honor them, Exo 20:12) to assume headship of a new and distinct relationship. At marriage a new family unit exists that had never existed before. This newly-formed oneness, involves a physical union, the culmination of marriage, but it involves more than that. Four of the five New Testament passages that refer to "one flesh" (Matthew 19:5, 6;" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 19:5, 6; Mark 10:8;" TARGET="_blank">Mark 10:8; Ephesians 5:31)," TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 5:31), quote the original statement and are passages that teach about marriage. The fifth (1 Corinthians 6:16)" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 6:16) is part of Paul’s teaching about fornication (v 18). He states that one who "is joined to an harlot" is "one body." Then he cites the Lord’s original intention (Genesis 2:24)" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 2:24) regarding "one flesh." The promiscuous relationship with a harlot is a physical union, but not the physical union God intended in marriage. "One body" does not include the intended intimacy and oneness of a unique relationship within marriage. "One body" is merely an external relationship. "One flesh" is both physical and relational, expressing the inseparable closeness of Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:31, 32)." TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 5:31, 32). This can never be expressed outside marriage.

D. Oliver
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How large did Jacob's family grow in Egypt?

If Jacob's family "increased abundantly" (Exodus 1:7)" TARGET="_blank">Exodus 1:7) in Egypt for 430 years (Exodus 12:40)," TARGET="_blank">Exodus 12:40), wouldn't their population have been much more than 2 million?

When they arrived in Egypt, the descendants of Jacob numbered 70 (Exodus 1:5)," TARGET="_blank">Exodus 1:5), not counting Joseph and his two sons, or the family's marriage partners. The "population growth rate" from the time Jacob received his wives was at least 7%. With only a 5% rate of growth, the population after 430 years would be almost 200 million.

This is one reason to take another look at the 430 year figure in Exodus 12:40." TARGET="_blank">Exodus 12:40. This figure and the 400 years of sojourning and persecution in Genesis 15:13" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 15:13 must be understood with Paul's figure of 430 years from the promise of blessing through Abram's Seed until the giving of the law (Galatians 3:17)." TARGET="_blank">Galatians 3:17).

If we identify the beginning point of this period with Genesis 12:1-7," TARGET="_blank">Genesis 12:1-7, Abram was 75. 25 years takes us to the birth of Isaac (21:5), 60 more years to the birth of Jacob (25:26), and an additional 130 years to Jacob's arrival in Egypt (47:9). That's 215 years (25 + 60 + 130).

A 5% growth rate for the remaining 215 years of the total 430 years comes to around 2.5 million, a more reasonable figure. The following figures lend support to this.

According to Exodus 6:16-20," TARGET="_blank">Exodus 6:16-20, 4 generations (see Genesis 15:16)" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 15:16) span the time from Jacob's entering Egypt until the Exodus: Levi, Kohath, Amram, Moses. Since Moses was 80 at the time of the Exodus (Exodus 7:7)," TARGET="_blank">Exodus 7:7), that brings the total years to 295.

When Jacob entered Egypt at 130, Joseph was 39. He had become governor at 30 (Genesis 41:46)," TARGET="_blank">Genesis 41:46), and after 7 years of plenty, his brothers came for corn in the second year of famine (45:6). Joseph was born, therefore, when Jacob was 91 (130 minus 39), at the end of Jacob's 14 years of service for Rachel and Leah (30:25; 31:38). At the time of Joseph's birth, Jacob had been married to Leah 7 years (29:21-22,25); he was 84 when married. Levi was Leah's third son, so Jacob would have been about 87 at Levi's birth. Levi, then, was 43 years old (130 minus 87) when he moved down to Egypt. Kohath had been born already (46:11), but would not likely have been 23 - likely closer to 3. His son Amrarn was born sometime in the next 110 years, since Kohath died at 133 (Exodus 6:18)." TARGET="_blank">Exodus 6:18). Amram died at 137 (6:20), so the time between entering Egypt and the birth of Moses must have been less than 243 years (110 plus 133).

If, instead, we make the reasonable assumption that Levi, Kohath, and Amram were, on average, 46 when their sons were born, then the total from Genesis 12" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 12 to Exodus 12" TARGET="_blank">Exodus 12 is 430" TARGET="_blank">is 430 years. The sojourning in Exodus 12" TARGET="_blank">Exodus 12: 40 began when Abraham entered Canaan as a sojourner. The 400 years of being strangers and being persecuted by the Egyptians (Genesis 15:13)" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 15:13) began with Ishmael's mocking Isaac (Gen 21:9)." TARGET="_blank">Gen 21:9).

D. Oliver
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Were all the followers of Christ indwelt by the Holy Spirit before the day of Pentecost?

THE HOLY SPIRIT
THE DISCIPLES AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
Were all the followers of Christ indwelt by the Holy Spirit before the day of Pentecost?

The true answer is, not one of them was. No doubt, as we shall see, the Spirit was with them in a sense, but the Lord distinguishes between this and His indwelling, in John 14:17" TARGET="_blank">John 14:17: “He dwelleth with you and shall be in you.” But earlier we read, “The Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:39)." TARGET="_blank">John 7:39).
Later the Lord said, “It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come to you, but if I depart I will send Him unto you” (John 16: 7)." TARGET="_blank">John 16: 7). Does this mean that the Spirit had never been working on the earth before? No, far from it—He had, as we have seen, been always with His people, for we read of His workings throughout the Old Testament. He it is “Who moved (or brooded) on the face of the waters,” preparatory to the renovation of the earth (Genesis 1:2);" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 1:2); “who strove with men” (Genesis 6:3);" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 6:3); who filled His servants and came mightily upon them for special service, e.g., Bezaleel, Joshua, Samson, etc.; who moved holy men of God in the Old Testament to speak, and to write, e.g., David: 2 Samuel 23:2" TARGET="_blank">2 Samuel 23:2(see 2 Peter 1:21);" TARGET="_blank">2 Peter 1:21); and who was vexed with the rebellion of Israel (Isaiah 63:10)." TARGET="_blank">Isaiah 63:10). These various actions He performed as an Omnipotent and Omnipresent Divine Person. But it was later at Pentecost that He came down, Personally to indwell His people and baptise them into “the One Body,” and thus unite them to the Risen Christ in glory, in answer to the request of the Lord Himself.

W.H.

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Should I respect my wife differently because she is a fellow-christian?

Does the oneness of a couple in marriage change their relationship as a brother and sister in Christ?

Nationality, status, and gender do not affect our relationship with Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28)," TARGET="_blank">Galatians 3:28), although we have become brothers and sisters (1 Corinthians 7:15;" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 7:15; James 2:15)" TARGET="_blank">James 2:15) in a new family. In our new relationship to Christ, no natural distinction limits our closeness to Him. Being brothers and sisters in Christ expresses that relationship.

Paul refers to "a sister, a wife" (1 Corinthians 9:5)," TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 9:5), which includes a spiritual (a sister in Christ) and a marriage relationship (wife). The two coexist.

Apart from the marriage relationship, Paul teaches Timothy that he must preserve moral purity with younger sisters (1 Timothy 5:2)." TARGET="_blank">1 Timothy 5:2). The Lord condemns some behavior outside of marriage (Exo 20:14; 1 Corinthians 6:18;" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7)" TARGET="_blank">1 Thessalonians 4:3-7) that is pure, proper, and prescribed (1 Corinthians 7:3-5)" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 7:3-5) within marriage (Heb 13:4)." TARGET="_blank">Heb 13:4). So marriage moves a Christian into a new sphere, but doesn’t change his spiritual relationships. This points to some very practical teaching. A Christian’s marriage is to be marked by a dignity (1Th 4:4)" TARGET="_blank">1Th 4:4) and thoughtfulness (1Pe 3:7)" TARGET="_blank">1Pe 3:7) consistent with the relationship of Christ and the Church. Disagreements in a marriage are to be resolved behind closed doors (hopefully) as mature brothers and sisters in Christ. The pressures of a marriage do not excuse acting toward a spouse in a way that a Christian would not act toward another fellow-believer.

"He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone" (John 8:7)." TARGET="_blank">John 8:7).

D. Oliver
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Can telling the truth be wrong if it hurts someone?

How can I protect others when, by telling the truth, I will create problems for them?

Never be a talebearer who betrays a confidence or volunteers to tell what has not been asked: "A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter" (Proverbs 11:13)." TARGET="_blank">Proverbs 11:13). More likely, the issue is. "how may I avoid speaking truth when it will be unkind to another?" Lying or denying truth are clearly not options. Even selectively telling part of the truth is dishonest if it leaves a different impression upon the one who asked. You may suggest the questioner speak directly with the individual involved if he must know about the matter. You may also suggest that he consider the matter from that person's perspective. In that light, the truth may not be as detrimental to the other person. "Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry" (Proverbs 6:30)." TARGET="_blank">Proverbs 6:30). They do not excuse theft but they understand the thief!

J. Slabaugh

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