What will encourage believers to invite visitors to weekly gospel meetings?

What will encourage believers to invite visitors to weekly gospel meetings?

Assembly life is "normal" when believers regularly invite visitors to assembly gospel meetings. When an assembly announces a gospel meeting, the message presented must be clear and consistent with the dignity of the gospel. This is the responsibility of the elders and ought to be the burden of the weekly prayer meeting. The primary resource in assembly life is always spiritual.

Effective meetings require Spirit-filled men who have sufficient capability to communicate the gospel. Even in assemblies which have a number of such men, occasionally inviting capable men from other assemblies in the area to help with the preaching is valuable. In smaller assemblies, this is essential. Where an assembly is geographically isolated, foresight, kind hospitality, and an invitation might encourage a brother and his family to visit for a Sunday - including the gospel meeting. Inviting a different speaker every month or two (at least) would encourage the believers to invite visitors to the meetings. Also, it helps when all the believers attend each gospel meeting.

D. Oliver
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Does excommunication involve two forms of discipline?

Does excommunication involve two forms of discipline?

Because of the nature of the sins listed in 1 Corinthians 5," TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 5, the individual must be put away to cleanse Gods temple. Sins of the kind mentioned there cannot coexist with Gods presence. Since 2 Thessalonians 3:14" TARGET="_blank">2 Thessalonians 3:14 shows that social discipline ("with such an one, no not to eat", 1 Corinthians 5:11)," TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 5:11), is a form of discipline in itself, two forms of discipline are imposed when an individual is excommunicated. Social discipline can be imposed by itself (2 Thessalonians 3:14)," TARGET="_blank">2 Thessalonians 3:14), but excommunication cannot. Pauls instruction regarding excommunication joins social discipline with putting a person away.

As in 2 Thessalonians 3," TARGET="_blank">2 Thessalonians 3, a potential problem in Corinth was that the sin in the assembly could adversely affect the behavior of others, "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump" (verse 6). For this reason, the believers were to have no company with the offender in order to protect the assembly. Both forms of discipline are also to promote the persons recovery. The passage in 2 Thessalonians indicates that social discipline is to make him ashamed verse 14), to see the wrong of his behavior. There is a contrast between them, however. In 2 Thessalonians he is to be admonished as a brother (verse 15). 1 Corinthians merely states that he is "called a brother." His is put away and is on the same ground as a heathen man and a publican (Matthew 18:17)." TARGET="_blank">Matthew 18:17).

D. Oliver
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Why does God allow suffering and pain?

Why is there pain and suffering?

You may also be interested in the more personal question "Why am I experiencing a time of difficulty? What is going trying to do to me?"

C.S. Lewis called it “The Problem of Pain” in his short, but influential book.

“If God were good, He would wish to make his creatures perfectly happy, and if God were almighty, He would be able to do what He wished. But the creatures are not happy. Therefore God lacks either goodness, or power, or both. That is the problem of pain in its simplest form.”

Very briefly, there are a number of ways of answering this challenge.

Choice

God created man, Satan and the angels with the power of choice. This gives us the option of choosing to obey or to rebel against God. Building us with a free will has the inherent risk of losing us to sin. Suffering, being the result of sin, is the inheritance we received from Adam and Eve and their fatal choice to disobey God. Romans 5:12" TARGET="_blank">Romans 5:12 says that he is the source of death in the world being the head of all humanity. As a consequence of Adam’s choice, the world is visited by calamity and suffering.

Romans 5:12" TARGET="_blank">Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned--

This “bondage of corruption,” with the “whole world groaning and travailing together in pain” (Romans 8:21, 22)," TARGET="_blank">Romans 8:21, 22), has affected all men everywhere. God did not make the world in its fallen state. In fact, when finishing the world he said "it is very good" (Genesis 2:1-3)." TARGET="_blank">Genesis 2:1-3). Some day in the future, God will take away the curse from the earth. In that day, “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain” (Revelation 21:4)." TARGET="_blank">Revelation 21:4).

God lacks power?

If God is almighty, then why does he allow suffering to exist? God actually uses suffering to accomplish his will. Hebrews 12:5-11" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 12:5-11 says that he disciplines his children with chastening. Discipline is both punishment and instruction.

Hebrews 12:5-11" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 12:5-11 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. (6) For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." (7) It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? (8) If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. (9) Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? (10) For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. (11) For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 5:8-9" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 5:8-9 says that Christ himself “learned” and was "made perfect" by what he suffered. Christ was certainly not ignorant nor unaware of suffering neither was he "imperfect" in the moral sense of sin. He "learned" by experience what suffering is. He "learned" obedience by practicing obedience even at the cost of the worst suffering imaginable. "Made perfect" is the completion of his work by carrying it out to the end.

Hebrews 5:7-9" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 5:7-9 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. (8) Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. (9) And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,

Just because suffering continues to exist does not logically mean it exists because God is powerless to stop it. God uses suffering to accomplish his purposes, which raises the next question…

God is cruel?

If God is capable of stopping suffering, then why does it continue? To end suffering, God would have to end the root cause of suffering – the ability to sin. This would mean that God would end our ability to make choices. To stop murder, God could end our ability to commit murder. To stop sin against God, he could end our ability to rebel. To stop evil implies ending the ability for individuals to choose what they want to do. God created Adam with the foreknowledge that Adam and his sons had the ability to worship God as well as the ability of Cain to kill his own brother.

Doesn’t God want his creatures to be perfectly happy?

Is God leading us somewhere with the aid of suffering? The purpose of creation is not to give us self-indulgent pleasure. The ultimate happiness of man is found by being able to glorify God even if that entails suffering on our part. If God had made Adam with the mind of a programmed machine, Adam would not have sinned nor died. Adam and his descendents would also not have the experience of being redeemed by grace. There would be no salvation. There would be no mercy of God. There would be no heaven. Instead, God has created a plan that will be consummated by the salvation of sinners who don’t deserve redemption, but will worship God eternally because of it. Man would never know salvation apart from sin.

Suffering is turned into goodness in the end. God was not surprised by Adam’s sin and fall. Of course, this does not mean that God is the source of sin, but it does mean that God is above sin and can use it to accomplish glory in the end. If God is eventually going to bring glory to himself through the suffering of all humanity, can he not do the same in your broken life?

Conclusion

These are summary paragraphs of a few reasons why suffering is allowed to continue. We can't know all the reasons why God allows suffering we just know that He does.

Shad Sluiter

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Should I be baptized again if I was baptized as a baby?

There are many verses in the Bible that teach about various kinds of baptism. For a full explanation of the topic see the following 13 chapters of the online book Baptism by Harry Ironside .

Let’s examine the possible reasons why you may ask “should I be baptized again?”

1) If your reason to be baptized again as an adult is to complete a spiritual requirement to be saved, then the answer is NO. You should not be baptized yet. You need to be saved first before being baptized. Baptism is for people who already are Christians. You should not use baptism as a way to be saved or any other Christian activity such as participating in communion, joining a church, confirming your faith, getting married in the church or making a vow. Your real need is to trust Christ to be your savior. Baptism as a baby didn’t save you and neither will being baptized as an unbeliever make you saved.

2) If your reason to be baptized again is because you have recently accepted Christ as Savior and are now a true Christian, then the answer is YES. You should be baptized even if you were baptized before - as a baby or an adult.

Baptism for believers

Baptism is for a person who has been saved, trusting in Christ alone for salvation. If someone who was baptized before he/she became a Christian and then was saved, then being baptized again is the right thing to do.

Babies are not believers in Christ. The Bible does not teach that babies should be baptized. The tradition of baptizing a baby is purely from a tradition of the church. Baptism for babies gives a false security that “something” was done to help the child become a Christian.

Baptism by immersion

The symbolism of baptism is explained in Romans 6:1-5." TARGET="_blank">Romans 6:1-5. The believer is saying that he has died with Christ. He has died to sin. Therefore he should be symbolically buried. The word “baptize” means immersed or buried in water. Immersion is the only way to illustrate the truth of being dead and buried.

Romans 6:1-5" TARGET="_blank">Romans 6:1-5 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? (2) By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (3) Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (4) We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (5) For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

There are many verses in the Bible that teach about various kinds of baptism. For a full explanation of the topic see the following 13 chapters of the online book Baptism by Harry Ironside .

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Who did Cain take for a wife?

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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Why should disciples pray for the kingdom to come?

“THY KINGDOM COME”

Why did our Lord teach His disciples to pray “Thy Kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10)," TARGET="_blank">Matthew 6:10), yet later say to Pilate in John 18:36, “My Kingdom is not of this world”?

How can I reconcile these statements?

It may be said on the face of it that, if we take the expression, “Thy Kingdom come,” by itself, there is nothing to affirm that the Kingdom referred to is of this world. The expression is often used to-day of what would be termed “God’s cause”—”not meat or drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” When we speak of the Kingdom of God coming, why, it may be asked, should we not be referring to the spiritual Kingdom? However, I am not advocating this use of the term, as we ought to take the words in their context. Such a question as this shews how important it is “rightly to divide the word of truth,” and to recognise the dispensational change, which occurred even in the brief space of our Lord’s ministry.

The kingdom that John, and subsequently our Lord and His apostles, proclaimed, was the Kingdom for which the disciples were taught to pray. This Kingdom, as we have shewn more than once lately, was the fifth Kingdom foretold by the prophet Daniel (chap. 2. ). Babylon, Medo-Persja and Greece had lost their power, and for nearly a century Jerusalem had been subject to Rome. The Lord Jesus was born King of the Jews. Born of the seed of David according to the flesh, He was the rightful heir to the Throne. He offered Himself as such. His miraculous works were His credentials, but these were in Matthew 9" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 9 and 12 imputed by His foes to Satan, and His rejection on the day of His entry into Jerusalem became a foregone conclusion.

This in no way set on one side the necessity of atonement, but that is kept in the back-ground till Matthew 16:21" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 16:21: “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto His disciples how that He must suffer and be killed and be raised again the third day.” The Lord could not reign over an unrepentant people, and only, if repentant, on the ground of atonement. The setting up of the Messianic earthly kingdom was then postponed, so that the Lord’s words to Pilate fit into their place: His Kingdom had then for the time being lost its earthly character. When once more He claims the Kingdom, it will be as the Son of Man, coming in glory, and then it will be established by force. It will be said in that day, “The kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.” The Millennial Kingdom will be the vestibule of the “Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

W.H.

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What name should I call God when I pray?

Does an understanding of the Biblical significance of divine names guide us in prayer?

A sense of both forcefulness and heavenly reasoning characterizes Biblical prayers. Their requests result from what God has revealed Himself to be. The first man in the Bible whose prayers are recorded stood as an intercessor between the Lord and Sodom. Through the Flood, God revealed that He is the Judge of all the earth. Abraham based his intercession on behalf of Sodom on this, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Genesis 18:25)." TARGET="_blank">Genesis 18:25). How mightily he interceded!

Moses prayed mightily to the Lord when He spoke of consuming His people because they worshiped the golden calf: "Lord, why doth Thy wrath wax hot against Thy people?" (Exodus 32:11)." TARGET="_blank">Exodus 32:11). He addresses him as Jehovah, the faithful One Who had promised to bring Abraham’s seed into Canaan (Genesis 13:14, 15; 15:16);" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 13:14, 15; 15:16); Moses speaks of those promises (Exodus 32:13)." TARGET="_blank">Exodus 32:13). Jehovah, Who is always the same, could not fail to keep His word. Moses, therefore, beseeches God to act consistent with His name. "And the Lord (Jehovah) repented of the evil He thought to do unto His people." This principle in prayer continues through the Scriptures.

In one other example, Daniel employs the names of God deliberately and cogently in his noteworthy prayer of confession and intercession (Daniel 9:4-19)." TARGET="_blank">Daniel 9:4-19). Here is the climax of his prayer: "O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for Thine own sake, O my God: for Thy city and Thy people are called by Thy name" (v 19). The name "Lord" (Adonay), used here indicates reverence, submission, and recognition of the sovereign control of God. Its first mention (Genesis 15:2)" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 15:2) is "Lord (Adonay) God, what wilt Thou give me?" Here, Abram contrasts the Lord with the king of Sodom, from whom he refused to take anything. The sovereign Lord Who controls all events and people was Abram’s only resource. Thus, Daniel acknowledges God’s right in judging His people, His control of nations and seasons and His strength to carry out His sovereign will (Deuteronomy 3:24," TARGET="_blank">Deuteronomy 3:24, "Lord"). As frequently as he addresses God in this prayer, Daniel is not repeating God’s name aimlessly. An increased understanding of the names by which God has revealed Himself to us would enable us to pray more deliberately, mightily, Biblically, and reverently - whether in private or public.

D. Oliver
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As a Christian, what is my definition of success?

As a Christian, what is my definition of success?

This is a broad question and many answers compete evenly as expressions of "Christian success."

Is a Christian successful whose life doesn’t reflect the beauties of the life of our Lord Jesus (Ephesians 4:17-25)" TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 4:17-25)? Wouldn’t it be success if the Word of God controlled every aspect of our life (Colossians 3:16)" TARGET="_blank">Colossians 3:16)? To live in the power of the Spirit of God, to be "full of the Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18)," TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 5:18), would produce true success. If God has a specific purpose for each believer and has given each one potential capabilities to reach that goal (Psalm 139:16)," TARGET="_blank">Psalm 139:16), living successfully would mean fulfilling God’s plan for the life. Daily walking with the Lord would be a consummate success in life (Genesis 5:22)." TARGET="_blank">Genesis 5:22). Bringing continued pleasure to our Father’s heart (Hebrews 11:5)" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 11:5) would make life worth living. Effectively serving others (Romans 13:10)" TARGET="_blank">Romans 13:10) during a lifetime would likewise make life a success. The presence of any one of these in a life would necessitate the presence of all the others.

Were a prospective boss to ask a Christian this question in a job interview, he could simply answer, "Success for me is to express the nobility of good character in every choice I make."

D. Oliver
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Were OT believers born again?

Were Old Testament believers born again?

All believers in any dispensation are born again. Without the new birth, no one can see the kingdom of God (John 3:3)." TARGET="_blank">John 3:3). The Lord teaches there must be a new life to enter the kingdom of God, whatever the dispensation (John 3:5)." TARGET="_blank">John 3:5). Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets will be seen in the kingdom of God (Luke 13:28)." TARGET="_blank">Luke 13:28). Abraham and Moses knew God in an intimate way. John 17:3" TARGET="_blank">John 17:3 teaches that knowing God requires eternal life (being born again).

J. Abernathy

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How does the Holy Spirit work differently in the New Testament compared to the Old Testament?

What is the difference in the Spirit's relationship to believers today as compared with Old Testament believers?

There is a distinction between relations of the Spirit to men before and after Pentecost. This is evident from the Lord's teaching in John 14:16, 17," TARGET="_blank">John 14:16, 17, "He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever... He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." So in the old dispensation the Spirit was with believers, in the present dispensation He is in them.

Before Pentecost the Spirit was at work fitting men for special service or testimony to accomplish the purpose of God. The Spirit came only on certain individuals (Numbers 11:29)." TARGET="_blank">Numbers 11:29). Bezaleel was filled with the Spirit of God for the work of the Tabernacle (Exodus 35:30,31)." TARGET="_blank">Exodus 35:30,31). "The Spirit of the Lord came upon David" (1 Samuel 16:13)." TARGET="_blank">1 Samuel 16:13). Verse 14 of that passage states, "But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul." David prayed that the Holy Spirit would not be taken from him (Psalm 51:11)." TARGET="_blank">Psalm 51:11). This indicates the transient nature of His presence prior to Pentecost. In this age, He dwells permanently in all believers (John 14:17)." TARGET="_blank">John 14:17).

J. Abernathy

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