Question: Did God know where Adam and Eve were when He said, “Where are you?”
Wed, 21 Jun 2000 00:41
"mclemmons"
Dear Bob,
I've been debating with a pagan about Genesis 3:9. The pagan wants to know why God is looking for Adam. He (the pagan) asks: "If God is all-seeing then why is he looking for Adam? Wouldn't an all-seeing God be able to see Adam and thus not have to look for him?"
I can't think of a good-enough answer to his question. Please Help!
Chad Lemmons
Checotah OK
June 20, 2000
Answer: (click here to view the answer)
Dear Chad,
I’m a father of six children. There were many times when I would look out a window that had curtains. I would see one of my children do something wrong. Later, when they came in, I would ask them if they had done the thing that was wrong. If they lied to me, I was able to correct their attitude about telling lies. Just because I might ask them, “Where were you?”, didn’t mean I didn’t know where they were.
I believe God did a similar thing in Genesis. Let’s read the whole account. Gen 3:8-13 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” 11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” 12 Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” 13 And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
God could see them. He asked them where they were as well as some other questions. These questions were used by God to show them what they did and how serious it was.
Question: Can you show me that a believer in Jesus Christ cannot commit the unpardonable sin?
Mon,
12 Jun 2000 21:20
"Michael
Odon"
Bob,
thanks in advance for answering my question. Since I was 12, I have had
to deal with a fear of falling into the unpardonable sin against the
Holy Spirit. I am one month away from being 40.
Can
you show me scriptually that a believer in Jesus and the work of the
cross and resurrection, cannot commit this sin.....otherwise how can
John 3:16 be true.
Thanks
again.
Mike
Odon
Answer: (click here to view the answer)
Dear
Mike,
John 3:16 has nothing to do with your security in Christ. At the
beginning, Christ was sent only to Israel. In Mat 15:24 Christ Himself
said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of
Israel.” And Paul was inspired to write Rom 15:8, “Now I say that
Jesus Christ has become a servant of the circumcision for the truth of
God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers.” When Israel
rejected Christ, God raised up Paul with a commission different from the
12 Apostles. Their commission required baptism, no willful sins and
endurance for salvation.
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the
gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be
saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs
will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons;
they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if
they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay
hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mk 16:15-18).
In contrast, Paul’s commission did not include
baptism. “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the
gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be
made of no effect” (1 Co 1:17).
There was a different dispensation, that is, a different method
of salvation. It is the only one that has what we call eternal security,
and you are interested in that. Peter and the eleven had the gospel of
the circumcision. Paul had the gospel of the uncircumcision. The
circumcision gospel was always associated with works for salvation.
Paul’s gospel, according to Acts 16:31, was, “Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” Paul was given a whole new
program called the dispensation of the Mystery, or the dispensation of
Grace. This is recorded in Ephesians 3:1-9.
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you
Gentiles; 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of
God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made
known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which,
when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of
Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as
it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and
prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body,
and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I
became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me
by the effective working of His power. 8 To me, who am less than the
least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach
among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all
see what is the fellowship [oi*konomiva,
dispensation] of the mystery, which has been hidden from the ages in God
who created all things through Jesus Christ.
Paul had been given a different gospel by the
resurrected Christ according to Galatians 2:7-9:
But
on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcised had
been committed to me, as the gospel of the circumcised was to Peter 8
(for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship of the
circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), 9 and
when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the
grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right
hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the
circumcised.
So, then, what gospel are you and I under? Even though I have
shown you that Paul preached a gospel different from Peter’s, others
say they’re the same. So, let’s continue checking this out. What did
Peter preach as the gospel in his first sermon on the day of Pentecost
in Acts 2:22-24,30-38
Men of Israel,
hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by
miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as
you yourselves also know; 23 Him, being delivered by the determined
purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have
crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the
pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by
it. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with
an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He
would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this,
spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not
left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has
raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to
the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise
of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34
For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: The LORD
said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your
footstool. 36 Therefore let all
the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus,
whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.
For some reason, Peter doesn’t even mention the
redemption Christ purchased on the cross. His sermon emphasized that
Christ was the Messiah of Israel. That was his important message.
Later, when Peter went to Cornelius in Acts 10:34-43 he
opened his mouth and said: In truth I perceive that God shows no
partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever
fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The
word which God sent to the
children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ; He is Lord
of all; 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all
Judea, and began from Galilee
after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of
Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good
and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of
the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him
God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the
people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and
drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to
preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by
God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets
witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive
remission of sins.
When we look at the bold printed words above, we can
see that works were essential for salvation: “Whoever fears Him and
works righteousness is accepted by Him.” But they are not essential
for your salvation.
As far as the method of salvation is concerned, Peter’s gospel
was quite different from Paul’s. In Acts 2:37,38, when they heard his
sermon,
they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the
apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said to
them, [Here’s the method]
Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit.
Again, this is not how you and I are saved. Later,
when Peter wrote his first epistle to “the pilgrims of the
Dispersion”, in 1 Pet 3:21, he wrote,
There is also an antitype which now saves us; baptism (not the removal of the filth
of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Water baptism was necessary for salvation.
Peter also admonished them to make their election sure by
doing good works in 2 Pet 1:10,11.
Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and
election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for
so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting
kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Here’s where the unpardonable sin came in. It’s not just the
sin in Matthew 12:31,32 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be
forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be
forgiven men. 32 Anyone
who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but
whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him,
either in this age or in the age to come.” If they did not make their election sure, there was
no hope, for Peter wrote in 2 Peter 2:20,
For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world
through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are
again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them
than the beginning.
The ones who “escaped” in verse 20 are those who
were deceived by the false teachers. The context points to the ones
deceived by the false teachers. They first “escaped the pollutions of
the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. At
the time they “escaped”, they would be in a state of salvation no
matter what their identity. Their state of salvation in contrast to ours
is this: Our salvation is sealed. Theirs is conditional, dependent on
their endurance by faith.
2 Peter 2:20 is very similar to Hebrews 6:4-9: “If they fall
away”. Here, we read, “If . . . they are again entangled.” In both
places they lose their position in the process of salvation. In both
places “the latter end is worse for them than the beginning” because
“it is impossible . . . . to renew them again to repentance,” so
they cannot resume the process of salvation. With the complete knowledge
of the new covenant, they really knew better. So they were without
excuse. One who would sin this way would commit the unpardonable sin of
having the certain knowledge of the new covenant and despising it (1 Jo
2:20-27).
Why would it “have been better for them not to have known the
way of righteousness”? Isn’t it always better for someone to know
the way of righteousness? That is true in this dispensation because a
person always has the opportunity to come to the Lord. But in that
dispensation, it would be “better not to have known” in the first
place than to know it, experience the blessings of salvation, and then
lose out completely. What a disaster! To be in the process of salvation,
then lose it. But worse than that, to be unable to ever get back into it
again. Hebrews 10:27-29 tells us of the true misery of
a
certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which
will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law
dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how
much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has
trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by
which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of
grace?”
Why should there be such a “fearful expectation of judgment”?
Why this “fiery indignation”? Because a special knowledge is given
to partakers of the new covenant (Isa 54:13; Jer 24:7; 31:34). With this
special knowledge, the new covenant requires the responsibility of
faithfulness. Please do not misunderstand me. Such faithfulness would
not come from their own power. As they concentrated on loving God, it
would be “the power of God [released] through faith for a salvation
ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Pe 1:5).
In contrast, what gospel did Paul preach? In Acts 13:16-39, he
started with the calling of Israel to King David. Then in verse 23 he
said,
From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up
for Israel a Savior; Jesus; 24 after John had first preached, before His
coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 26 Men
and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who
fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. 38 Therefore
let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and by Him everyone
who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be
justified by the law of Moses.
Simply put, the
Philippian jailer in Acts 16:30-32
brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be
saved?” 31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you
will be saved, you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of
the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
In his epistles, Paul gave the same message of
salvation. In Rom 3:21,22, he wrote,
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed,
being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness
of God, through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, to all and on all who
believe. For there is no difference.
And the gospel in a nut shell is found in Romans
10:9, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe
in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be
saved.”
As far as the method of salvation is concerned, in contrast to
Peter’s “be even more diligent to make your call and election
sure,” Paul wrote in 1 Co 3:15, “If anyone's work is burned, he will
suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
Then, in contrast to the required works for salvation which Peter,
James, and John taught, Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:4-9,
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with
which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive
together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up
together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ
Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of
His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you
have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the
gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
And in Titus 3:4-7,
But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man
appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration
and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly
through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His
grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
God raised up the Apostle Paul and gave him a brand
new message. Then, what should we proclaim? Should we teach the Mosaic
law, the kingdom gospel that was for the Jews, or the message of grace
that is for this dispensation?
There is nothing more important to a person than his salvation
and security? Nothing! Then, why is there so much confusion in the
Christian world about this subject? The confusion comes from mixing
together the method of salvation from the two different dispensations
we’ve been studying. Instead of mixing them, we must learn to contrast
the messages. It was different in the dispensations which were
associated with the gospel of the kingdom – also called the gospel of
the circumcision, that given to Peter.
Let’s read Galatians 2:7, “But on the contrary, when they saw
that the gospel of the uncircumcision had been committed to me, as the
gospel of the circumcision was
to Peter”. Under the gospel of the circumcision, they had to believe
and be baptized to be saved,
Christ said to them, “Go into all the
world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He
who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe
will be condemned (Mk 16:15,16).
Peter commanded the same thing on the day of
Pentecost. Acts 2:38, Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every
one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” He later
wrote a similar statement in 1 Pe 3:21,22,
There is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism (not the
removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience
toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone
into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and
powers having been made subject to Him.
Another doctrine associated with the gospel of the circumcision
or the gospel of the kingdom, was endurance. They had to endure to be
saved. One example of that is John 15:1-6,
I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He
takes away; and every branch
that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You
are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch
cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can
you, unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the
vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much
fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If
anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered;
and they gather them and throw them
into the fire, and they are burned.
Another example of their need to endure is found in
Mat 24:13,14, “But he who endures to the end
shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of
the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the
nations, and then the end will come.”
One of the most confusing was the requirement to do the works of
the law. Notice what Mat 19:16-22 says.
Now behold, one came and said to Him, Good Teacher, what good
thing shall I do that I may have eternal life? 17 So He said to him, Why
do you call Me good? No one is
good but One, that is, God. But if you
want to enter into life, keep the commandments. 18 He said to
Him, Which ones? Jesus said, You shall not
murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall
not bear false witness, 19 Honor your
father and your mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 20
The young man said to Him, All these things I have kept from my youth.
What do I still lack? 21 Jesus said to him, If
you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and
you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. 22 But
when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had
great possessions.
These principles for salvation were repeated much later by James
when he was writing to the Jewish dispersion in Jam 1:22-2:24. Please
read the whole passage to get the context.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving
yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he
is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes
himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25
But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty [The Mosaic law.] and
continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one
will be blessed in what he does. 8 If you really fulfill the royal law [The Mosaic law.] according to the Scripture, “You
shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you show
partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as
transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, [The Mosaic
law.] and yet stumble in one point,
he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, [in the Mosaic law.]“Do not
commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder. ” Now if you do not
commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of
the law [The Mosaic law.]. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be
judged by the law of liberty [The Mosaic law.]. 13 For judgment is
without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over
judgment. 14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not
have works? Can faith save him? 20 But do you want to know, O foolish
man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father
justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? [after he
was circumcised and the covenant of circumcision was made with him by
God.] 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and
by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled
which said [before he was given the covenant of circumcision],
“Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is
justified by works, and not by faith only.
In contrast, in the dispensation of Grace which was given to Paul
according to Ephesians 3:1-3,
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you
Gentiles – 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace
of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made
known to me the mystery,
we have to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be
saved (Acts 16:31). That’s all! After you believe, the Holy spirit
seals you, Mike. Eph 1:13 “In Him you also trusted, after you
heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also,
having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” How
long are you sealed? Until the day of redemption, the rapture, or until
you die. Eph 4:30 “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom
you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
Now, when you mix these two gospels together, you cause a short
circuit and the sparks of confusion fly. But, how do we divide these two
gospels? What is the answer? We find over and over again in Acts 9:15,
13:46, 18:6, 22:17-21, 26:17,18, 28:28, Romans, Galatians 1:11-2:10,
Ephesians 3:1-9, and Colossians, that Paul was the Apostle of the
Gentiles – the uncircumcision. Not only did he preach a new gospel,
the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24), but he showed that God had
a new spiritual blessing for this dispensation, which we call eternal
security.
I hope this answers all your questions on this subject, Mike. If
it doesn’t write me again.
Bob
Hill
Question: What does Mat 15:4 mean, for one to “curse his mother and father”?
Tue, 6 Jun 2000 19:16
John North
Dear Bob,
Here is yet another question for you, concerning Matthew 15:4
What exactly does in mean for one to ‘curse his mother and father’? In this passage Jesus upholds what seems to be a very harsh command which was given by God in the Old Testament. What exactly does in mean for one to ‘curse his mother and father’? What is the Greek word used in this verse that is translated into ‘curse’?
God Bless,
John North
Answer: (click here to view the answer)
Dear John,
It doesn’t mean curse, like lay a curse on someone. You can
read the meanings for yourself. It comes from a word that literally
means “speak bad”, but here is the entry from BGD: kakologevw
(Lysias 8, 5; Plut., Vett. Val. et al.; PFay. 12, 15 [II bc];
PRyl. 150, 9; LXX) speak evil of, revile, insult tinav
someone (Jos., Ant.
20, 180) Mk 9:39. patevra h] mhtevra
Mt 15:4; Mk 7:10 (both Ex 21:16; cf. Pr 20:9a: Ezk 22:7). ti;
someth. th;n oJdovn the
Way (i.e., Christianity) Ac 19:9. Abs. D 2:3. M-M.*
The punishment seems severe, but how much delinquency do you
think there would be if this were the law now? I would like to see this
adopted as law. I think most juvenile crime would stop in a matter of
weeks.
Thanks for your questions,
Bob Hill
Question: Does I Corinthians 12:3 support regeneration before salvation?
03 Jun 2000 11:45
Name: Michael
Ok your probably getting fed up with getting a question from me everyday. Sorry about that. But I was wondering about 1 Corinthians 12:3, forgive me but I don’t have the NKJV handy at the moment so I’m gonna use the NIV translation. “No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord’, except by the Holy Spirit.” Does this verse support regeneration before salvation? Since you can’t confess Christ without the work of the Holy Spirit?
Answer: (click here to view the answer)
Michael,
This is a difficult text, but when we look at 1 Co 12:1-7, we see the context is “concerning spiritual gifts” in the church. Anyone under the control of the Holy Spirit in the church at that time who was speaking in tongues or prophesying would conduct himself as follows: “No one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” If anyone did contrary to this, he should not be considered as speaking under the influence of the Spirit. It seems to have nothing to do with those outside the church.
1 Co 12:1-3 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
Question: Should pastors have "wages"?
Fri, 2 Jun 2000 10:03
Brian Cross
I have always believed, and do believe in giving to a pastor based on 1 Cor 9:11 "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?"
However I have three passages that seem to contradict this idea. Could you explain how these fit with the idea of giving.
1. In Matthew 10:8 Jesus tells his disciples "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give." Specifically the idea that they should freely give, because they were given without cost, seems to imply that they should not charge people a dollar to give them the gospel.
2. In Micah 3:11, God mocks religious leaders when he mentions, "the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us?"
3. Finally, Paul says, "I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service." How do these verses shed light on the issue of pastors taking wages?
Answer: (click here to view the answer)
Brian,
To begin, Paul is pretty explicit about a pastor’s wages. Your passage in its context is one of them. He speaks to your concern in 3 different passages:
1 Co 9:4-14 Do we have no right to eat and drink? 5 Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working? 7 Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock? 8 Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also? 9 For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about? 10 Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope. 11 If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? 12 If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? 14 Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.
Gal 6:6 Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.
1 Ti 5:17,18 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”
I don’t think I need to comment on them, because they seem to be self explanatory. But I will respond to your questions.
1. I think you imply correctly that we should not charge for the gospel. I believe we should not try to get unbelievers to give to the church. God has provided the method in the above verses. The principles for tithing seem valid enough, also, though we don’t have to follow them in order to be saved. The apostles were not pastors. When we send out apostles (I believe our missionaries fit the spiritual gift of apostle in the aspect of being sent with a commission.), we fund them.
2. In Micah 3:11, God mocks religious leaders when he mentions, "the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us?"
3. Finally, Paul says, "I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service." How do these verses shed light on the issue of pastors taking wages?
Question: Does God really have a will for our lives?
I know you are bombarded with letters from hungry saints. Thank you for your lengthy responce, and I thank you for your ministry to us. You inspire me.
It shames me, but I do not know if I would follow be very submissive to Gods will for my life. My letter to you went all kinds of places about Gods will... but my question was does God really have a will for our lives? My pastor planted a seed in my mind that I have a gift of wisdom. many people tell me that. So at my young age I have learned a lot, not nearly as much as others, but I have some things God has taught me and I value them. one of the things I think I experienced first hand is Gods love. I decided to love a girl not long ago. apparently her love wasn't true, because suddenly I was forgotten. things would go up then down and through it all I longed for her, I forgave her when she asked, and even when she didn't. I endured. I gave. and I always hoped. I realized how much love would cause me to do for someone, and it helped me see how much God loves me.
I wanted so much for God to *zap* and *pow* she's mine. but that hasn't happened. I knew that wasn't fair. But I hoped God would help some how in my favor. I knew he could relate to me. He went though that with Israel! They would leave Him, then return, then leave, then return. So I hoped He would hear my prayers because he too has a love (the world of people) whom He wants to love Him back.
I want to help God how I can with His desires since I want Him to help me with mine. But how can I? I have heart it said that it's pretty much impossible to a human to do anything good as it is. If that is true, how can I help God? That makes it sound like I only hinder the mission, not help. I try not to listen to main stream theology and I always form my own opinion, so that saying I do not yet have a side on... I am willing to think that I can help God. that I can be a good light for Him. This I want to do.
What shames me is that IF God does have a certain path he wants me to take, I do not know if I can go down it. for example, what if that path was to totally give up on this girl whom I love right now? If my love is true, if my desire is true, then how can someone live with themselves with such a longing heart? I doubt I could force myself to give up hope, cause I love her, and love always hopes. If God asked me to stop, I do not know if I could. I guess I would be in sin, but I lose something both ways.
I do not fell lead to give up on this Girl. she is not the issue here, but I think this is a good example on my possession. I am willing to serve, but to what extent? Like I said before, God can relate to me. He Gave up His Son for me cause He desired me so. God knows desire more than I know. So I LIKE to think He wouldn't ask me to give up my desires. whether I am right in thinking that or not is unclear to me.
God gifted me. I know he doesn't gift someone only for them to waste what they received. So my talents I want to offer to Him in the mission to bring many back to him, to fill His heart with more joy through more people finding grace. That is totally about Him, not me. His desires being filled would make me happy cause I would know I helped Him. Maybe this is a poor comparison, but it would be like giving a gift at Christmas time to a needy child, then seeing their eyes light up. Even though God is in no way poor, he longs for the world to come to him, and O the happiness he would feel if he got that. I may not be able to bring him 1 soul, but I want to say I tried.
It is my conclusion, to do this^, I should use the gifts God gave me.. Gods will is that I use those gifts. Whatever else I gain as I run the race (friends, family, love, wealth, whatever...) I gain because the situations were right. I do not think there was one moment in time I was put here for. Instead, I think we were meant to be creatures that loved each other and God and had relationships. So I do not think God really has a set will for our lives accept to be saved, or to have a personal relationship with Him and to use these gifts. But am I right?
This email is much longer than the last one. I am sorry to keep you busy on this subject when you already were kind enough to write me back such a long letter the first time. I simply wonder if I'm thinking biblically in these ideas... and I also need a brother in Christ to shoot my ideas at :) lucky you huh? Sometimes I get a feeling that God wants me to do a certain thing. the latest thing was I felt God wanted me to preach. I know me... I know my limitations, and public speaking, even private speaking is a big weakness of mine. yet I felt "called". I even talked to my pastor about it. I want to share what God shows me with many people.. how I will do that I do not know, but today that "called" feeling to be a preacher is gone. I do not want to live on feelings, on feelers. I want to make sound decisions not based on a thought that I do not know is from God or not. So knowing if God calls or if God does have a will for me will help next time I feel guilty for missing my supposed God-set-mark.
Thank you soooooo much for your time.
in Christ's love
Patrick
Answer: (click here to view the answer)
Patrick,
God does not have a will for our life where He zaps anyone. He always leads us Christians, but we blow it much of the time and don’t follow Him.
As far as having a will for whom you will marry, we all have free will. This girl in your life whom you love, may not love you in return. She has free will. I would suggest you continue to get to know her so she can see if you are the one she wants to spend her life with.
Being in love can be very painful when your love is not returned. But remember, it takes a lot longer for a girl who is mature to understand who she wants to marry. So look to the Lord for your need, and show this girl who the real Patrick is. Col 3:1-3 “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” God can fill that void in your heart more than this wonderful girl can, but that doesn’t mean you can’t love God and her too. Let me know what happens.
Love,
Bob
Question: Some believe you are unstudied in the “hate” subject.
Name: Don
It would appear that you believe that we are not to judge, and that we are not to hate others. Yet one of your former parishioners (for want of a better word), Bob Enyart, gladly espouses that Christians are to judge, and teaches that we are to hate sinners. In fact, several of his followers believe you are unstudied in the "hate" subject. Can you explain your position more clearly, and how/why one of your former congregational members could be so different in his teachings of these areas?
Answer: (click here to view the answer)
Don,
I have always encouraged my congregation to beware of preachers. We are all wrong in some areas of what we believe and preach. Bob and I agree on at least 99.9% of theological/biblical questions. Very few Christians agree to that extent. Now, I already answered this question on Questions and Answers under Bible Questions IV, “Is it all right for a Christian to hate another person?” But you bring up some things to which I would like to respond.
I believe the Bible tells us to judge those who are in the
church. That’s what 1 Co 5 & 6 are all about: 1 Co
5:1-6:6 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality
among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the
Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife! 2 And you are puffed up,
and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be
taken away from among you. 3 For I indeed, as absent in body but
present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present)
him who has so done this deed. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when
you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power
of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 deliver such a one to Satan for the
destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the
Lord Jesus. 6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little
leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven,
that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed
Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the
feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and
wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I
wrote to you in my epistle [This epistle.] not to keep company with
sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the
sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or
extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the
world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with
anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an
idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to
eat with such a person. 12 For what have I to do with judging
those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?
13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away
from yourselves the evil person.” 6:1-6 Dare any of you, having
a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not
before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the
world? And if the world will be judged by you, [We will judge the world,
apparently with God, in the future.] are you unworthy to judge the
smallest matters? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels?
How much more, things that pertain to this life? 4 If then you have
judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint
those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? 5 I say this to
your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even
one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But
brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers! 7Now
therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law
against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not
rather let yourselves be
cheated?
According to this, we are to judge those in the church. But 1 Co 5:12,13 says “For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”
I have studied “the ‘hate’ subject” very carefully and do not see where God tells Christians to hate. God tells us to love. That’s the goal in my life. As to having someone differ with me who I admire, Pro 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” Bob and I have sharpened each other in a lot of ways over the years. I thank God for him. He really helped me greatly to understand how much of a legalist I was. We are close friends, but we disagree on .1% or less of the issues in the Bible.
Bob Hill
Question: Disturbing misrepresentation of my belief system.
Name: Michael
Mr Hill,
I found a disturbing article online about the church you used to pastor, before Bob Enyart took it over. They claim that you teach “Moral Government of God Theology”.
In there list they have a few things that, from what I’ve read of you, you do teach, and is biblical. But the vast majority doesn’t look like anything that you would teach. Here is the list of things they have for Moral Government of God Theology:
1) God does not fulfill some of His own prophecies.
2) God changes His mind and is not immutable.
3) God does not have sovereign control over earthly events.
4) God does not know His future actions.
5) God does not know ahead of time the free decisions of humans.
6) God’s foreknowledge is limited in the area of man’s free decisions.
7) Many of the things God predicted never came true.
8) The atonement shows a willingness on God’s part to forgive, rather than a desire to punish sin.
9) God forgives completely out of His grace rather than a need for personal vindictive satisfaction.
10) God never needed His wrath abated because of sin.
11) The atonement does not pay our debt for sin.
12) The devil has deceived us into believing that Christ was a ransom for us, and that he redeemed us by paying for our sins.
13) Jesus did not pay for our sins.
14) To believe that our salvation was literally purchased with Christ’s blood makes God to be vindictive and bloodthirsty.
15) One is ultimately responsible for his/her own salvation because of free will.
16) Imputed righteousness is a lie. God does not look on Christians through the garb of Christ’s blood.
17) True repentance means ceasing from all sin before we die.
18) Salvation is not so dependent on whether we accept Christ - it’s whether He will accept us.
19) We need to do more so that He will want to accept us.
20) Salvation is dependent upon our adherence to moral law.
21) God is holy only because He chooses to use His attributes in a loving way.
22) God has the ability to make wrong choices or to sin.
23) Our moral character is shaped merely by our individual acts of sin.
24) If an individual unknowingly commits a sin, it is not a sin to that person and they will not be held to account for it by God.
25) The sin of Adam is not transmitted to us, and it would be unjust for God to pronounce us guilty because of his sin.
26) If God condemns us all because of Adam’s sin, God must also save everyone because of what Christ did (Rom. 19). This is universalism, and therefore both parts of the argument must be wrong.
27) Our moral depravity is shaped solely by wrong and sinful choices we make.
28) We as humans are able to fulfill the law.
29) Humans are not bound to a sinful flesh that continually wants to sin. Through good choices and an iron will, mankind can turn away from sin in and of him/herself.
30) One can achieve perfection if that individual sets his/her goals high enough.
Could you please tell me which of these you do and do not teach. Because this is very disturbing to me. I believe you have always been honest and interpreted scripture with integrity. I hope you will clear this up for me. I don’t know if Bob Enyart teaches this or not either, do you?
Answer: (click here to view the answer)
Michael,
Thank you very much for sending this email.
It does show a lot of what Moral Government Theology believes, but I am
definitely not a Moral Government Theologian. I will answer each one of
these statements in future answers. I’ll send each one to you as well
as post it on Biblical Answers. For the present, I’ll answer each one
yes or no, or yes with a future explanation or no with a future
explanation.
1) God does not fulfill some of His own prophecies. Yes
2) God changes His mind and is not immutable. Yes
3) God does not have sovereign control over earthly events. No
4) God does not know His future actions. No with a future explanation
5) God does not know ahead of time the free decisions of humans. Yes with a future explanation
6) God’s foreknowledge is limited in the area of man’s free decisions. No with a future explanation
7) Many of the things God predicted never came true. Yes with a future explanation
8) The atonement shows a willingness on God’s part to forgive, rather than a desire to punish sin. I agree with both of these ideas.
9) God forgives completely out of His grace rather than a need for personal vindictive satisfaction. Yes
10) God never needed His wrath abated because of sin. No
11) The atonement does not pay our debt for sin. No
12) The devil has deceived us into believing that Christ was a ransom for us, and that he redeemed us by paying for our sins. No
13) Jesus did not pay for our sins. No
14) To believe that our salvation was literally purchased with Christ’s blood makes God to be vindictive and bloodthirsty. No
15) One is ultimately responsible for his/her own salvation because of free will. No
16) Imputed righteousness is a lie. God does not look on Christians through the garb of Christ’s blood. No, but I wouldn’t state it this way. We have been baptized into Christ. Because we are identified with Christ, we have His righteousness.
17) True repentance means ceasing from all sin before we die. No
18) Salvation is not so dependent on whether we accept Christ - it’s whether He will accept us. No, He will accept us because we are accepted in the Beloved.
19) We need to do more so that He will want to accept us. No, we are accepted.
20) Salvation is dependent upon our adherence to moral law. No
21) God is holy only because He chooses to use His attributes in a loving way. No with a future explanation
22) God has the ability to make wrong choices or to sin. No with a future explanation
23) Our moral character is shaped merely by our individual acts of sin. No, it is shaped by the Holy Spirit as we allow Him to form Christ in us as we focus on loving God.
24) If an individual unknowingly commits a sin, it is not a sin to that person and they will not be held to account for it by God. No, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is none righteous, no not one.
25) The sin of Adam is not transmitted to us, and it would be unjust for God to pronounce us guilty because of his sin. No, the sin of Adam was transmitted to the whole human race, Rom 5:12, but Christ died for Adams sin and justified everyone for that one sin. Now, we all die for our own sin, and we all have sinned. Now we must trust in Christ to be saved. I’ll also explain this further in the future.
26) If God condemns us all because of Adam’s sin, God must also save everyone because of what Christ did (Rom. 19). This is universalism, and therefore both parts of the argument must be wrong. Yes, I agree that no. 25 is saying that. But I believe in universal justification for that one sin of Adam. We all sinned, and would die for that if we did not believe in Christ as our own Savior.
27) Our moral depravity is shaped solely by wrong and sinful choices we make. No, we were born with this thing called flesh. It is always against God’s law. When we trust Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit. he enables us to live the Christian life.
28) We as humans are able to fulfill the law. No
29) Humans are not bound to a sinful flesh that continually wants to sin. Through good choices and an iron will, mankind can turn away from sin in and of him/herself. No
Question: Can a Christian remarry after divorce?
Mon, 29 May 2000 23:50
If a person claiming to be a christian does what is prohibited by 1 Cor 6:7 and demonstrates by leaving or separation that the person does not wish to live with their spouse; is the spouse free (via 1 Cor 6:12) to divorce? Would the aggrieved spouse be free to remarry?
Answer: (click here to view the answer)
1 Co 6:7,12 says, “Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? 12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”, but this is not the problem. God, indeed, hates divorce. Under Christ’s interpretation of the law in Matthew 5, there was only one ground for divorce: Mat 5:31,32 “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.”
But in the dispensation of grace, when the law is no longer in power for believers, God wants the husbands, according to Eph 5:25-33, to “love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself.”
However, God seems to say it is all right to get
remarried if a person is divorced: 1 Co 7:25-28 “Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give
judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made
trustworthy. 26 I suppose therefore that this is good because of the
present distress—that it is good for a man to remain as
he is: 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are
you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But even if you do
marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not
sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would
spare you.”
I would
recommend that you seek pastoral counseling, and see if your spouse will
go to the counseling with you.
Question: Can we know the will of God?
Mon, 29 May 2000 23:56
“Patrick”
hello again bob!
all I can say right now bob is “help!” you know how life is. just when you think you have things in order, you think things are going in a good way, something happens to change your mind. the only way I know to ask this (and it may sound like I’m rambling but it isn’t) is to lay out my situation.
I am 19 years old, finishing my first year of college. I have so many desires. I may sound arrogant in saying this, but God has gifted me with many talents, as has he with many other brothers and sisters in Christ. also I have read most of the bible. I have endured much so far in my life, and it seems that God has given me the wisdom I asked for when I was first rededicated by many trials. so here is the question: why?
There is a way of thinking among some believers. they all have some great commission personally assigned to them. It seems most Christians want to think they have a major place in the kingdom. “I am going to be a missionary and lead 100’s to Christ” or “I will be a music leader in a church and do great things for Gods kingdom.” It is like everyone has a dream of being placed in some great position, yet if everyone is to be great, who will take care of the lesser things?
Not everyone will be great. It seems most people who believe they have a personal great commission get disappointed. for example, I had a science teacher who just got married and began teaching at my school. She was a Christian and she wasn’t ashamed to tell the class that before she began work at my school, she asked God if it was His will that she begin working here. well apparently she concluded it was or she wouldn’t have started working there. But she ended up betting a divorce and moved out of state before the year was up. It seemed that when she thought Gods will was clear, she was disappointed.
So here I am, very willing to serve God, to help him fulfill his desire to regain the world as children of the Throne. Like the golden rule, do unto others, I want to do unto God what I want him to do for me, even if he doesn’t do for me (*shew* that’s hard to say sometimes). But as I illustrated with examples, life is soo unclear.
I am developing a belief that God has no predestined-will for our life. From my studies, Gods will is that none shall perish. and I see no place that tells me that God has a plan for our lives. when I say “plan”, I mean a blueprint that God assigns to us. People say EVERYTHING happens for a reason, and that God wants what is BEST for our lives. But if I am free, why do I have such a blueprint? if God wants what is best, why aren’t do I desire so much for a mate? it is best that a person shouldn’t marry, so if I am to get what is best, then I think I’ll pass, as foolish as it may sound.
I realize that situations come about where God may need someone to help out. People picketing abortion clinics may be a good example. God needs people to spread the message, and at times he may use someone in a picket. Spur of the moment things, hopefully some seeds will be planted. but it seems in the long run, things aren’t so carefully planed out.
We are all gifted, and I think we should use the gifts we have. Some are good preachers, and as a long term ministry. You are a teacher of the Bible. Some people are youth leaders or choir leaders. These examples can be long term... but did God have it planed out from day one that so-and-so will be a preacher, a teacher, or a singer? I tend to think not.
Your knowledge of the Bible is greater than mine. What is your take on this? This is a personal question.. I have things I want to do for God. I have things I want for myself also.. Things that I am convinced are true desires, and they just aren’t being met.
I have rambeled enough.. I appreciate your ministry, and you are in my prayers.
In Christ’s love
Patick
Answer: (click here to view the answer)
Patrick,
One of the reasons you’re having problems is you hear things
like this: “One of the most inspiring subjects found in the Bible
is the revelation that God has a plan for every life.” That’s what
one book says. A magazine article says, “God has a very specific plan
for your life.” Countless other books I have read say or imply that
God has a specific will for your individual life. But most people are
really perplexed when they consider the question, “What is God’s
will for my life?”
It’s not just a problem for you, Patrick, it’s
a problem for all of us. Facing two or more choices, we just don’t
know which one to make. We think, if we had a clear revelation from God,
we’d snap to, and obey with joy. Wouldn’t we? (I express this with
doubt.) Most of us think that we would respond in the right way to a
divine bolt from the blue.
From your email, I think I can sense a lot of doubt. But, to test
our willingness to obey God if His will were known, let’s consider how
good we are at obeying Him where His will is known. Paul wrote in 1
Co 6:12: “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not
helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under
the power of any.” He’s talking about addictions and obsessions. Do
you have and other Christians who say they would like to know God’s
will for their life have any bad habits? God says quit it: 1 Co 6:13
“Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy
both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the
Lord, and the Lord for the body.”
Then He lays it out directly. Rom 13:7-9 “Render
therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom
customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. 8 Owe no one
anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has
fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit
adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,”
“You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and
if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying,
namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
None of us keep all these commandments all the time, and some
preachers have been the worst culprits. 1 Ti 1:5-7,13 “Now the
purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good
conscience, and from sincere faith, 6 from which some, having strayed,
have turned aside to idle talk, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law,
understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm. 13
And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house,
and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which
they ought not.” Most Christians are idle talkers, gossipers, and
busybodies.
It seems clear when I read 1 Co 13:4-7: Love suffers long
and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not
puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not
provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices
in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,
endures all things.” Even though it is my goal to love God with my
whole heart, I don’t show this kind of love to others consistently.
So, my answer is, we don’t need to know God’s will on many
points. We already have His revealed will on many subjects, but we
don’t do it. So, I think it’s safe to generalize that it doesn’t
matter. Whether we know God’s will or not, we seem to do what we want.
But I’m not just passing by your question. I think you are
sincere. So if your desire is, really, to do God’s will, what should
you do? Because, I believe as you have intimated, that we are free to
resist God or do what He wants us to do. So here is what you and I can
do on a daily basis to find God’s will for ourselves in important
areas of our lives: Present your whole body soul and mind to God. Rom
12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,acceptable to God,
which is your reasonable service.” Not in some theoretical way, but in
the context of all of the desires of the body.
That’s what God told us in Rom 6:12,13 “Therefore do
not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it (sin) in
its (the body’s) lusts. 13 And do not present your members as
instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as
being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of
righteousness to God.”
The only way Christian character is developed is by controlling
the lusts of the body. But this control has to be the Holy Spirit’s
gift, self control. We have to look completely to God for all our
changes. He will perform the Christian life in us. I believe we can look
at our lives with God’s help, to see how real our commitment is. It
really shows us by what we do with our bodies. our professing lips are
unmasked by the thoughts in our minds and the actions of our hands and
feet.
Two things must be done. We must use the spiritual gift of self
control. Rom 12:2a And do not be conformed to this world. Don’t
let the world squeeze you into its mold. Develop a repugnance to the
world. 1 Jo 2:15-17 says, “Do not love the world or the things
in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not
in him. 16 For all that is in the world; the lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eyes, and the pride of life; is not of the Father but is of the
world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who
does the will of God abides forever.” Instead, God wrote through Paul,
Rom 12:2b But be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” But
how can you be transformed? Again, we see this is a function of the Holy
Spirit. First, He saved us. Tit 3:5,6 Not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved
us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
Then, it’s the Spirit and your spirit. Eph 4:23 and be renewed
in the spirit of your mind. This takes place in the real you, the inner
man. 2 Co 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our
outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by
day.
This transformation takes place by setting your mind on the Lord,
meditating on His person, His qualities and character. 2 Co 3:17,18
“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a
mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image
from glory [His glory] to glory [Our glory], just as by the Spirit of
the Lord.” This is done by meditating, reading, chewing, and
assimilating God’s word.
Further, the word purifies us as we read it and submit to God. Eph
5:26 “that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of
water by the word.” We ought to know His word so well that we just
sense His will from His word. Then we will be able to prove “what is
that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Patrick, if you think you have missed God’s ideal will for your
life, don’t give up. Phi 3:13,14 says, “Brethren, I do not
count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those
things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are
ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of
God in Christ Jesus.” Paul had not made it at the time he wrote
Philippians. He had already been a Christian for many years. A few years
later he said in 2 Ti 4:6-8, “For
I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my
departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished
the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the
crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give
to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His
appearing.”
Take care of your present status with God. He will take care of
the future for you. Even in the gospels it says, Mat 6:31-34
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What
shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these
things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need
all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore
do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own
things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Let God take care of how, where, and to whom you minister. Your
love to Him and your obedience to Him is more important than your
service. 1 Sa 15:22,23 “Then Samuel said: ‘Has the LORD as
great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice
of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than
the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and
stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the
word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.’”
God gave us the freedom to make our choices. Christ could do nothing of Himself. Neither can we. We are constantly lead by the Holy Spirit. Let’s tune in to His word and we’ll find His will.
I hope this helps you. This has been a very important issue in my life too.
Love,
Bob Hill
Question: Is it ever okay to hate or should we always love?
21 May 2000 21:01
Name: Jason
Question:
Under Biblical Questions IV someone asked a question concerning hate. If I understood correctly you said that Christians should not hate others. We should rather show love. You mentioned that The Bible describes God hating, but He is perfectly Holy and Just. I remember hearing Bob Enyart mention several times about hating. Even hating the clothing one was wearing. He (Bob E.) uses the hate examples when talking about being "Nicer Than God". Is it ever ok to hate as Bob E. has talked about, or should we always love?
Answer: (click here to view the answer)
Jason,
I really appreciate your question. Bob Enyart and I are very close friends. We agree on 99.9% of our theology. You zeroed in on an area that I may disagree with. I have not read “Nicer Than God”, but if Bob’s emphasis is as you relate it, and I’m not doubting you, I think the Bible’s emphasis is that we should love even our enemies. As I stated, God does hate some types of sinning people. They are even an abomination to Him, but if they, at last, repent, God even will forgive them. I find no Scripture that commands us to hate any person. We should hate certain types of sins, but it is not clear to me whether God wants us to not do these things and thus hate them so we will not do them, or whether it could be construed that we should hate them.
I realize that David hated his enemies: 2 Sa 5:8 Now David said on that day, “Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul), he shall be chief and captain.” But that is no reason that we should.
Some of the following biblical material may be thought to at least condone hating, but this may be the Scripture Christ referred to when He said in Mat 5:43-46, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. ’44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?”
Here is what He may have been referring to:
Psa
26:5 I have hated the
assembly of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked.
Psa
31:6 I have hated
those who regard useless idols; But I trust in the Lord.
Psa
97:10 You who love
the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He
delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.
Psa
101:3 I will set
nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away;
It shall not cling to me.
Psa
119:104,113,128,163
Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false
way. 113 I hate the double-minded, But I love Your law. 128 Therefore
all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to
be right; I hate every false way. 163 I hate and abhor lying, But
I love Your law.
Psa
139:20-22 For they
speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in
vain. 21 Do I not hate them, O Lord,
who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I
hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.
After examining this question in the whole Bible, I must say, I find no evidence that God wants me to hate anyone. Here are the portions of Scripture I have gathered from the love and hate verses in the Bible:
Ex 18:21 “Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
Ex 23:5
“If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden,
and you would refrain from helping it, you shall surely help him with
it.
Lev
19:17 ‘You shall
not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your
neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.
2
Sa 5:8 Now David said
on that day, “Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats
the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by
David’s soul), he shall be chief and
captain.” Therefore they say, “The blind and the lame shall
not come into the house.”
Psa
5:5 The boastful
shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.
Psa 11:5