OceanSide church of Christ




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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (59)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Questions are used for all kinds of purposes.

 

B.      One of the things questions do is test knowledge

1.      This is the purpose we least enjoy.

2.      Often we find out how little knowledge we have on some issues.

 

C.     The questions that you ask for our Q&A lessons are not specifically designed to test my knowledge. 

1.      But, in order to answer your questions there is some knowledge that has to be acquired. 

2.      We pray that our answers to your questions are answered in a Biblical way.

 

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

 

I.                   QUESTION #1:  MAN CASTING OUT DEMONS

 

A.    Stated:  Was the individual casting out demons in Jesus’ name in Mark 9:38-40 actually casting them out or falsely representing himself?

 

B.      Answer:

1.      Mark 9:38-40

 

And John answered him, saying, Master we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us:  and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.  But Jesus said, Forbid him not:  for there is no such man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.  For he that is not against us is on our part.

 

2.      Specifically, the answer to the question is that the man was truly casting out devils in Jesus’ name.

a.      The disciples of Jesus said that he was doing this.

b.      Jesus did not say this man was not casting out demons.  In fact, He told His disciples to “forbid him not.”

3.      There are three other questions about this matter that are very important.

a.      Where did this man come from?

1)      Any answer to this question is mere speculation.

2)      He had to have crossed the path of Jesus at some point during the Lord’s ministry.

3)      Some believe that he may have been part of the seventy that Jesus sent out on the Limited Commission (Luke 10:1, 9, 17).

 

After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and send them two and two before his face, whither he himself would come…And heal the sick that are therein…And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

 

b.      Was this man authorized to do the things he did?

1)      Jesus did not agree with the decision of the apostles to forbid this man from performing miracles.

2)      He noted that the man was doing this “in my name.”

3)      Too, Jesus said:  “He that is not against us is on our part.

c.       What is the application of this text to our lives today?

1)      Some try to use this passage to teach that there are religious groups other than the church that the Lord approves of because they are speaking in Jesus’ name.

2)      Two points:

a)      If this were true, then Paul was wrong when he wrote:  “There is one body” (Eph. 4:4).

b)      To speak in the Lord’s name is to speak by His authority. 

-          Man-made denominations are not speaking by the Lord’s authority.  There is absolutely no authority for them to exist (John 17:20-22; I Cor. 1:10)

-          From time to time, groups will be found in various places that are adhering to the truth of God’s Word, but who were unknown to members of the church.

+    Baptism for the remission of sins

+    A capella music in worship

+    The Bible only as their guide

+    Scripturally organized with elders and deacons

+    Worship on the first day of the week with weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper

+    NOTE:  If a group is following the teachings of the Word of God, we should not forbid them. 

 

II.                QUESTION #2:  WISE ELECTION CHOICES

 

A.    Stated:  How do Christians make wise choices during any election series?

 

B.      Answer:

1.      Facts about Christians:

a.      Christians live in the world (John 17:15).

 

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

 

b.      Christians are to have an influence of the world (Matt. 5:16).

 

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which in in heaven.

 

c.       Christians are to shine forth God’s Word into the world (Phil. 2:15-16).

 

That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life…

 

d.      Christians must discern between things that are good and things that are evil (I Thess. 5:21-22).

 

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.  Abstain from all appearance of evil.

 

e.       Christians must oppose anything that opposes God, His holy Word, and His precious cause (Eph. 2:11).

 

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

 

f.        Christians will give an account of every action performed in the body and the standard of judgment will be the Word of God (II Cor. 5:10; Rom. 2:16).

 

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

 

2.      Implications from these teachings:

a.      One of the ways we can influence our world is through the power of a vote.

b.      God’s Word is to guide every decision that we make because we are attempting to shine forth God’s Word in the world.

c.       It is our obligation to study the candidates and hold fast the good and abstain from every appearance of evil.

d.      We must oppose all that is evil:

1)      Evil systems such as socialism and communism.

2)      Evil morals such as abortion and the LGBTQ culture.

3)      Evil agendas that promote social injustice and social unrest.

4)      Evil individuals that promote evil systems, evil morals, and evil agendas.

e.       The Lord will hold us accountable.  Even though our votes are secret, the Lord will bring these things into Judgment.

 

III.             QUESTION #3:  DENYING SELF

 

A.    Stated:  What does it mean to deny self?

 

B.      Answer:

1.      Jesus is the one who taught the concept of self-denial.

a.      Matt. 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23

 

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.

 

b.      Deny

1)      Strong (533)

a)      The word “deny” comes from two words:  one means “to disavow, to reject, to agnegate,” and the other means “away.”

b)      Thus, “to deny utterly, that is, disown, reject

2)      Thayer:  “to forget one’s self, lose sight of one’s self and one’s own interests”

3)      Vine:  disregarding one’s interest

2.      This is an easy teaching as long as self wants to do what the Lord has authorized them to do.

3.      It is when self conflicts with the will of God that denial become hard.

a.      Personal lives (concert)

b.      Family (visits)

c.       Work (hours)

d.      Recreation (ballgames)

e.       Manner of dress (immodesty)

f.        Education (study)

4.      A justification:  We deny ourselves several times, therefore, it is okay once or twice to have things my way.

CONCLUSION

 

A.    We have examined three interesting questions

1.      One about a man casting out devils in Jesus’ name

2.      One about our participation in the election process

3.      One about our being willing to deny ourselves

 

B.      Every one of these questions has a common theme:  the proper application of the Word of God to our lives.

 

C.     This is very important in light of what we are told in James 1:22-25.

 

But be ye doers of the world, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:  for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.