OceanSide church of Christ




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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (43)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Sometimes questions allow us to dream?

1.      What job would you absolutely love to have?

2.      If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?

3.      If you could build a house anywhere, where would you build it?

4.      If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

5.      What is the number one thing to do on your “Bucket List”?

 

B.      Tonight is our Q&A Night.  Our questions do not allow us to dream, but they do allow us to think about spiritual things.

 

C.     In this lesson, we will be answering three of your questions.

 

I.                   QUESTION #1:  ANSWERED PRAYERS

 

A.    Stated:  Do you feel that God answers your prayers, your problems, and needs?

 

B.      Answer:

1.      I do feel that God is involved in my life in many ways.

a.      Providing for me

b.      Answering prayer

c.       Providentially

d.      Helping me overcome problems

e.       Disciplining me

f.        Showering blessings on me

g.      Forgiving me

2.      There are two main ways of knowing that God is working in my life.

a.      Through faith

1)      II Corinthians 5:7

 

(For we walk by faith, not by sight).

 

2)      Example:  forgiveness

a)      God has promised to forgiven me of my sins (I John 1:9).

 

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

b)      I go to God and ask to be forgiven.  He does not literally speak to me and say I am forgiven.  He does not send me a note telling me I am forgiven.  I trust His Word.  My faith embraces the promise of forgiveness He has given.

b.      Through evidence

1)      God had said that he will answer our prayers (Matt. 21:22)

 

And all things, whatsoever ye shall as in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

 

2)      After I have prayed for certain things, I can see God has answered that prayer.

a)      For a specific person

b)      For a specific thing

c)      For a specific need

3)      Providence is based on evidence also:  doors that are opened, events that transpire in our lives, and people who come into our lives (See Gen. 50:20).

 

But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

 

II.                QUESTION #2:  ANSWER TO “BEING CALLED”

 

A.    Stated:  What is an appropriate response when a friend or acquaintance who says he was “called” (by God, the Holy Spirit) to do something?

 

B.      Answer:

1.      Those who are denominations often claim that God called them to do certain things.

a.      Take a certain job

b.      Enter into a particular ministry

c.       Introduce themselves to various individuals

d.      Go to various places

e.       NOTE:  They seem to have a very intimate relationship with God because He is constantly telling them to do this and do that.

2.      There are two ways that you can respond.

a.      If they are open to some discussion, you can speak to them Biblically.

1)      In the Bible, there were two ways that people were called of God.

a)      One of these was through the preaching of the Word

-          The Thessalonians (II Thess. 2:14)

 

Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

-          God still uses this means of calling men today. 

b)      The second way was literally.  This involved supernatural, miraculous involvement in the lives of humans.

-          God spoke directly to people (ex., Saul, Acts 9:3-6).

 

And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus:  and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:  and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?  And he said, Who art thou Lord?  And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest:  it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do.  And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

 

-          God also used other means to speak to people such as visions (Ex., Paul, Acts 16:9)

 

And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.

 

-          God no longer literally speaks to men today.

+    He has given us His Word in the New Testament and sealed it with the blood of Jesus (Matt. 26:28).  There is nothing more He needs to reveal.

+    The miraculous has been done away (I Cor. 13:10).

 

But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

 

2)      There are “problems” to this method.

a)      As we said, it takes time to do some teaching.

b)      The hearers must have good and honest hearts and receive the truth.

c)      Their “reality” goes against the things that we try to teach them.  Thus, they just will not hear the truth.

b.      The second way to confront them is practically.

1)      How did God call you? 

a)      A feeling in their heart or a gentle nudge

b)      A small little voice in their mind

c)      Response to some test they devised

2)      If God calls you in this manner and never calls me in the same manner, isn’t God being a respecter of persons?  This is something God is not (Rom. 2:11).

 

For there is no respect of persons with God.

 

3)      How do you know it was God calling? 

a)      Could it have been an evil spirit?

b)      II Chronicles 18:21

 

And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets…

 

c)      Feelings, impressions, hunches, think so’s, and hope so’s do not constitute the will of God.

 

III.             QUESTION:  Denominational Baptism

 

A.    Stated:  If a person was baptized in another denomination, do they have to be baptized again in the Lord’s church?

 

B.      Answer:

1.      Ephesians 4:5

 

One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

 

a.      There is only one Scriptural baptism that will save the soul.

b.      Once a person has experienced this baptism, he is saved and never has to be baptized again.

2.      NOTE:  Just because a person is baptized “for the remission of sins” does not mean the baptism was the “one baptism” of Ephesians 4:5.  (Ex., the men of Ephesus, Acts 19:2-7)

a.      John’s baptism was “for the remission of sins” (Mark 1:4).

 

John did baptized in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

 

b.      This did not make John’s baptism valid to the apostle Paul

1)      “And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized?  And they said, Unto John’s baptism” (Acts 19:3).

2)      “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:5).  They were baptized with the “one baptism” of the new covenant.

3.      There are three things that will invalidate baptism done by denominations even if they are done “for the remission of sins.”

a.      An improper view of Jesus Christ (ex., the Mormons).

b.      An improper view of baptism (ex., Catholics).

c.       An improper view of the church (ex., denominations).

1)      Before a person can be scripturally baptized, he must understand about the true church.

-     Acts 8:12

 

But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and woman.

 

-     I Corinthians 12:13

 

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body

 

2)      Not one denomination understands the true nature of the Lord’s church. 

3)      Questions: 

-     Will the Lord add you to His church even though you do not know that church exists? 

-     Will He add you to His church even though you will not set assemble with the saints the next Lord’s day because you have no understanding of His church?

-     Can you be born into the family of God when you do not understand the nature of that family? (See John 3:3, 5; I Tim. 3:15).

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    One of our questions involved being called of God.  We learned that God calls men through the preaching and teaching of the gospel.

 

B.      Another question involved baptism.  When a person is baptized, he becomes a member of the church, the body of Christ.  He is now in Christ.

 

C.     A third question involved God answering our prayers and assisting us.  Once we are in Christ, we are in a place where all spiritual blessings are found (Eph. 1:3).  This includes answered prayer and a host of other blessings God gives to His people.