Q&A (Page 9)
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…
Tongues Dying Out?
Q. We used to receive a lot of Messages in Tongues long ago, but it seems to be dying out. What’s happened? Isn’t that important anymore? A. A recent secular publication touched on this very subject! Even the world has noticed that Pentecostal Christians are changing. The article has some suggestions as to why this is happening: Speaking in Tongues is quite weird to a lot of people; ‘Seeker-friendly’ Churches want to be successful in attracting members, so they de-emphasise practices…
Tithing in Tough Times
Q. With times so tough, does God actually expect us to tithe? Are we being legalistic? What does the Bible teach? A. Well, that’s quite a question. Sadly this Mag can’t give a full-length study on your subject; however, full notes are available upon request. For the serious enquirer, the main Scriptures to consider are Gen 14:15-24, Deut 26:1-4, Mal 3:8-12 and Heb 7:1-10. In Gen 14 Abraham met Melchizedek as King of Righteousness, King of Peace and Priest of the Most…
Tithing and the Law
Q. If we are no longer under the Law, why should I still tithe? A. There are perhaps three major reasons why people don’t tithe. First, they may be selfish; they’re not concerned with ancient Theology, and consider God’s claim ridiculous. Second, some are fearful that their stretched finances couldn’t carry the load, and are afraid to take drastic steps of faith. Third, most haven’t been taught God’s principles of giving and are ignorant of how He operates. This is…