Wednesday 5 June 2013

75 Bible Questions – 74


 1 Peter 2:9-10  But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Jesus instructed his disciples to “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” [Mark 16:15] because through his sacrifice, righteousness was made available to all people, which is why the good news was preached to the Gentiles, thus fulfilling many Old Testament prophesies like Isaiah 49:6 “I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.'”
The last 27 chapters of the book Isaiah are similar to the 27 books of the New Testament because they proclaim the hope of the New Covenant, for which there are many fulfilled prophesies; how then can we, “A chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his [God’s] own possession” deny these prophesies were completed or that they were prophesies as dispensationalism does?
Anyone who enters into the kingdom of heaven having shunned even the smallest portion of the Bible and having taught others to do the same “will be called [the] least,” so open your hearts and minds to the wisdom of God while there is still time.

Matthew 5:19  Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”



NOTE: Question 75 was covered back in Question 25 so the 75 Bible Questions are now complete.

Tuesday 4 June 2013

75 Bible Questions – 72 & 73


Didn’t the Prophets Foresee the Church Age?
Acts 3:24 “And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days.”

Peter is very specific here that Samuel and “All” the prophets after him were given revelations about the Church Age, the age beginning on the day of Pentecost, so there is no way to reasonably think that the Church Age just came to pass at random or that God did not know exactly when and what was going to happen.
Nevertheless, it is a dispensationalist teaching that the prophets knew nothing about what was to come when there are fulfilled prophesies strewn throughout the Old Testament about Jesus, the New Covenant, and the Destruction of Jerusalem.
Is it ignorance, denial, or immaturity that keeps curtain church denominations from understanding such principals as this that have a firm scriptural foundation?

Monday 3 June 2013

75 Bible Questions – 71


Doesn’t God Want His “Heirs” to Inherit Everything?
Romans 4:13  For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.”

The promised blessings of Abraham are free to all who accept them, as we are heirs and offspring through faith in Jesus Christ for it says in Galatians 3:14  So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”
Even when God has made a covenant with Abraham that we are a part of, many Christians resent that we are heirs of this world and that our Heavenly Father who loves us would want to shower us with prosperity.
I know many Christians struggle with finances, work, family life, and even their relationship with God when they could step out of their self dependence to trust in the Lord’s divine provision.

Philippians 4:10-13  “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.  Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Genesis 28:4  May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!”



75 Bible Questions – 70


Doesn’t Christ’s Kingdom Expand Over Time?
Matthew 6:10  Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

What does “Your kingdom come” mean in the Lord’s prayer when the kingdom of heaven came through Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:7
 The kingdom of heaven is at hand’)?
If it means the final judgment, then why are we to pray that it happens when God is not bound to the areas we lift up in prayer, so I do not believe the kingdom coming in Matthew 6:10 is the final judgment.
What if this is a prayer that the kingdom of God, His church here on earth that is described in many of Jesus’ parables, and the progression of all things coming under Christ’s feet [read previous posts for more on this topic] will come to pass quicker, or that the work of others to bring worldly things into submission will be strengthened? 

And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

If you have different beliefs on this topic, please leave me a comment below with verses to back it up.  I would enjoy getting feedback.