Posts from May 2016 (Page 3)
Resurrection and Glorious Bodies
Q. I hear that we’ll have Resurrection Bodies in Heaven. What are they like and why do we need them? A. Yes, the Bible tells us that we shall all be changed to have resurrection bodies in Eternity. Important references in this regard are Phil 3:21 and 1 Jn 3:1-3. However, the Resurrection Chapter of God’s Word is 1 Cor 15 and we shall be looking into it. Not only is God’s Word here emphatic about the Resurrection, it also tells that…
Pre-Tribulation Rapture
Q. Will there be a pre-Tribulation Rapture? A. We are fully persuaded that there will be a ‘Rapture’ of the Church before the Tribulation when the Lord Jesus comes to fetch His Bride, the Church. I Thess 4:16-17 says that … the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven … the dead in Christ shall rise … we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together … to meet the Lord in the air… 1 Cor 15:52 tells that we shall…
Our Violent World Scares Me
Q. Is violence permanent in our world? I am a Christian, but scared how violence is affecting me. How can I be free of fear? A. In Noah’s day, Gen 6:11 says, the earth was filled with violence. Jesus said in Matt 24:37 that such violence would characterise the days before His return. Violence is the spirit of these evil End Times days. Since December 2010 there have been violent protests and riots in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Syria, Yemen, Algeria, Iraq,…
Last Day False Prophets
Q. In the last days there will be False Prophets deceiving many. How would we recognise one in an Assembly, and what should we do? A. You are right; there will be perverse men who will rise amongst us to do their own thing, seek prominence and draw people away after themselves – all for personal glory. And 1 Cor 11:19 says not to worry; ‘For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest…
Israel Belongs to the Jews
Q. Jews insist they have divinely bestowed title to the land of Israel. Don’t you think that few passages in their Bible are more frightening to Arabs than Deut 11:24: “Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours …”? A. We doubt that Arabs are genuinely frightened by this passage, which has never been adopted as a policy by any Israeli government. However, God will have His way ultimately, and that includes restoring to Israel somewhat more…
Earth’s Destruction
Q. Is Man about to destroy the earth? A. Scientists have developed all sorts of deadly weapons that could wreak havoc, and some are being deployed. With nuclear capability in the hands of so many terrorist nations and groups, it will take only one insane press of a button to launch a conflagration. Despite this potential for horror, remember that, no matter what man tries to do, God is in total control. 2 Peter 3:10–13 tells us that the earth…
Changes When Jesus Returns
Q. What will we be like when Jesus comes for us, and what will the unbelievers be like? A. God’s Word has excellent passages on Resurrection; try Dan 12:2, 1 Cor 15:35-58, 1 Thess 4:13-18 and 1 Jn 3:1-3. Resurrection will affect every one of us, saved and unsaved. Here are some details: Your earthly body is sustained by your blood system. Your spiritual body will have substance and, sustained by Spirit, will never die. God’s people will be raised…
Anti-Israel Controversy
Q. What do you say to Walter Rodgers, former CNN Jerusalem Bureau Chief, who criticises Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians? In the Christian Science Monitor 26 Aug 2009 he asks, “Does any serious observer believe that Israel’s appetite for land, owned and occupied by generations of Palestinians, is going to abate?” A. Mr. Rodgers presents a distorted argument that goes beyond the settlement issue, to debunk the legitimacy of Jewish rights to the land of Israel. Considering that he spent 5½…
Allah and the God of the Bible
Q. Is Allah Our God? A. Muhammad (c.570-632) founded the Muslim religion in the 7th century. Raised by an uncle, he grew up as a shepherd and camel driver. He married a wealthy widow, Kadijah, the first of many wives. He alleged that Gabriel appeared to him and urged him to preach. Muhammad belonged to the Thaqeef Tribe who, for centuries, had worshipped the goddess ‘Al-ilat’, a daughter of Al-ilah, or Allah, the moon god and all powerful god of the night. …
Wrong Decisions
Q. When I’m cross I make bad decisions. But when I’m very happy I also make wrong decisions. How can I stop making wrong decisions? A. As human beings we often make wrong decisions because: We’re selfish and mostly decide in favour of what we want; We’re influenced by our feelings, emotions; We’re influenced by the world’s norms and values. When we become Children of God, He begins to train us away from making bad decisions by teaching us what He feels…
Water Baptism and Dedicating Babies
Q. Why do we “Dedicate’ babies to the Lord; is there such a doctrine in the Bible? A. Some hold that Dedication replaces Infant Baptism or Christening in evangelical churches. This is quite incorrect. Firstly, Infant Baptism is unscriptural and found nowhere in God’s Word. In fact it thwarts God’s teaching on Water Baptism. TheCatholic Encyclopaedia Vol. 2, page 261, says, “The most ancient form usually employed wasunquestionably immersion. In the Latin Church immersion seems to have prevailed until the 12th century.…
Tongues the Essential Sign
Q. Is Speaking in Tongues an essential sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit? A. One might ask, When frying eggs and bacon, will one hear the crackling in the pan and will the aroma fill the room? In this poor illustration, these are not essential to the meal; they just happen. We shall see that God has designed Speaking in Tongues for a number of reasons. However, rather than focussing on Tongues, expect rather the infilling of Him Who is…