THE TRUTH IN PRINT, June 2002
A
Publication of the
Vol.
8, Issue 5
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Turmoil in the
By Bob Lovelace
I’ve had some interesting religious
discussions lately concerning the crises in
I. Mankind will end up destroying itself.
Quote: “I am not
religious in the traditional way we think of being religious. Mankind will end
up destroying itself. Just like the age of the dinosaurs, the human race will
not last forever.”
Answer: Man is a
distinct part of God's creation, a "class" i.e. mankind not an animal
(Gen. 1:26-28). Moreover, what God
created is in His own power and not man’s to ultimately destroy (Genesis 1:1;
John 1:1-3; Heb. 1:2; Rev. 3:14, 4:8, 11). This is an
awareness, I believe, that our society today is in great need of hearing
and understanding. Man cannot properly understand his "place" here
upon the earth without this knowledge.
Here is my stated belief. The Hebrew writer
said, "And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the
earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
[11] They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they
all shall wax old as doth a garment; [12] And as a vesture shalt
thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy
years shall not fail”
(Hebrews 1:10-12).
Notice that the scriptures plainly teach it
is God, not man, who is in charge of the final destiny of His creation ~
"thou" (God, who created the physical heavens and earth.) shalt fold them up (Heb. 1:12).
Above all there will be people here on this
earth when the moment for God to do that comes. Hear Paul, "For if we
believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. [15] For this we say
unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN unto the
coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. [16] For the Lord
himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
[17] Then we which ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN shall be caught up together with them
in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the
Lord. [18] Wherefore comfort one another with these words" (1 Thes.
II. The bible teaches Christians ought to support
Belief: “Christians ought to support
Answer: If you
believe that Christians ought to support
"Jesus answered, My
kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my
servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom
not from hence. [37] Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then?
Jesus answered, Thou sayest
that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came
I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is
of the truth heareth my voice" (Jo.
Dear reader Christ dwells in the hearts of
Christians by "faith" (Eph.
Moreover, the New Testament teaches that the
one who is a Jew today is not one who outwardly is a Jew. Hear Paul, "For
he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is
outward in the flesh: [29] But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and
circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose
praise is not of men, but of God" (Romans 2:28-29).
Above all both Jews and Gentiles are reconciled
in one body the church and there is no distinction between a Jew and any other
person of a different nationality in Christ's church. Hear Paul, "For as
many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. [28] There is
neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male
nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. [29] And if ye be Christ's,
then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians
Summarizing:
1. To be saying that Christians should
protect
2. There is no distinction of “race” with
Christ in His church (Gal.
III. God has not broke His covenant
with the Jewish people.
Quote: “While I
disagree with my Jewish friends on the nature of the covenant, I know that God
has not broken His covenant with the Jewish people. Nor will He.”
Answer: I certainly hope that you are not saying the Jews
have one law today and Christians another according to God's standard for man!
It is indeed fashionable today for some to preach Christ so long as they are
not asked if the Jews must obey Christ or be lost, then they balk. Hear Paul,
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the
Greek” (Romans
Thus, it is only through the hope of the
Gospel that God has not rejected