OceanSide church of Christ




Click here to see all of the YouTube videos belonging to OceanSide
(opens in a new browser)

 Previous Return to Sermons Next  Click to download Audio

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (83)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     Questions:

1.       What is the second national animal of the United States?  Bison

2.       What is the national animal of Scotland?  The unicorn

3.       What is the national animal of Canada?  North American beaver & Canadian horse

4.       What is the national animal of Tanzania?  Giraffe

5.       What countries have the ladybug as their national animal?  Finland & Latvia

 

B.      The answer to these questions have absolutely nothing to do with the well-being of your soul, but the questions you submit for our Q&A sermon just might.

 

C.     Today, we will be examining three questions.

 

I.                    QUESTION #1:  Pets in heaven

 

A.     Stated:  Will there be pets in heaven?

 

B.      Answer:

1.       When I was a child, this question would not have been asked because there was not such a fascination with pets at that time.

a.       Today, pets are treated just like human beings.  In fact, some are treated better than human beings.

b.      In 2020, 67% of the household in the United States had at least one pet.

c.       In 2020, the pet industry grossed $99 billion.

d.      This love and adoration of pets have caused many individuals to wonder:  “Will there be pets in heaven?”  Some are even more specific than that.  They wonder:  “Will my pet be in heaven?”

2.       There is a teaching today that is entitled, “The Renovated Earth” doctrine that teaches that pets will be in “the new heavens and new earth” in which the redeemed will dwell in eternity.

a.       There are two major works that teach this doctrine.

1.       Heaven by Randy Alcorn

2.       A New Heaven and a New Earth by J. Richard Middleton

b.      Heaven according to this teaching is not “up there.”  Heaven is right here.

 

By the time you finish reading this book, you will have a biblical basis for envisioning the eternal Heaven – which will one day be centered on the New Earth – you don’t need to look up at the clouds; you simply need to look around you and imagine what all this would be like without sin and death and suffering and corruption” (Alcorn, 17).

 

c.       Three basic points:

1)      God’s original plan was for man to live on a perfect earth forever if man had obeyed the Word of God.

2)      At the last day, the heavens in which God dwells now will come down and be united with earth.

3)      The earth, however, will be completely renovated to the pristine perfection it had at the beginning.  Thus, we will live on an earth much like the one we presently experience only without sin, violence, and corruption.

d.      It is this teaching that allows them to tell individuals that animals and pets will be in heaven.

1)      Animals are not nearly as valuable as people, but God is their Maker and has touched many people’s lives through them.  It would be simple for him to re-create a pet in Heaven if he wants to.  He’s the giver of all good gifts, not the taker of them.  If it would please us to have a pet restored to the New Earth, that might be sufficient reason (Alcorn, 400).

2)      We know animals will be on the New Earth, which is a redeemed and renewed old Earth, in which animals had a prominent role (Alcorn, 400).

3)      This seems to require some animals who lived, suffered, and died on the old Earth must be made whole on the New Earth.  Wouldn’t some of those likely be our pets? (Alcorn, 400).

3.    There is absolutely no indication in Scripture that pets will be in heaven. 

                               a.   Heaven is composed on those whose names are found in the Book of Life (Rev.

                                    22:27).

 

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomina-tion, or maketh a lie;  but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

 

                              b.    Animals were given to man by God for numerous purposes (See 2 Pet. 2:12).

 

But these, as natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed…

 

                                    1)   For food

                                    2)   For sacrifices

                                    3)   For labor

                                    4)   For wages

                                    5)   For enjoyment

                                    6)   NOTE:  They are not given to be saved in the Last Day.

                              c.    Questions:

                                    1)   Will every redeemed person have every pet by his side?

                                    2)   Will those pets have a glorified body?

                                    3)   Will every kind of pet be in the “New Earth”?  (snakes, gold fish, ferrets,

                                           turtles, hamsters, tarantulas, and potbellied pigs, etc.)

4)      Will these animals have to be fed and cared for?

5)      Will they manifest perfect behaviors?  If not, how will they be disciplined?

6)      Will these pets be resurrected to life?  Or, will God recreate the pets?

7)      Will the pet be eternal just as man is? 

 

II.                 QUESTION #2:  Preterism

 

A.     Stated:  What is preterism?  Why do some members of the church believe this doctrine?

 

B.      Answer:

1.       Most members of the church have never heard the word “preterism.”

2.       Definition of the word:

a.       Preterism comes from the Latin word “praeter” which means past.

b.      A preterist is one who believes that all end time events are in the past.

1)      The Second Coming has passed

2)      The Resurrection of the dead has passed.

3)      The Judgment has passed.

4)      Right now, they say, that we are living in the new heavens and new earth.

c.       A preterist believes that all of these things happened in A.D. 70.  (NOTE:  Some refer to the preterism as “The A.D. 70 doctrine).

d.      The preterist does not believe that we are presently waiting for the Second Coming of Jesus or the resurrection or the judgment.

e.       Some refer to this teaching as “Realized Eschatology.” 

1)      Eschatology involves “final things.”

2)      The preterist tells us that final things have already been realized.

3.       These things are believed by some members of the church because there have been preachers who have advocated them and led individuals astray. 

a.       Max King was one of those preachers.

b.      He wrote the book entitled:  The Spirit of Prophecy in which he advocated Realized Eschatology.  Thus, some referred to the doctrine as Kingism.

c.       Brother Wayne Jackson did a review Max King’s work.  It is entitled:  The A.D. 70 Theory, A Review of the Max King Doctrine.

4.       Let’s look at one aspect of Preterism, Realized Eschatology, or the A.D. 70 Theory.

a.       The Teaching on the Resurrection:  They believe that everything taught about the resurrection is spiritual and not literal and physical.  The Lord’s church, they say, was stifled, repressed, and restrained as long as the Old Law was still actively in existence.  It was not until A.D. 70, that the church was resurrected out of her stupor and allowed to live without Judaism pushing her down.

b.      Let’s consider two passages that will refute this teaching.

1)      A discussion between Jesus and Martha (John 11:23-24)

 

Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.  Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection of the last day.

 

a)      The statement Jesus made had to do with Lazarus, not the church.

b)      It is interesting that Martha knew a resurrection was coming.  She referred to it as “the resurrection of the last day.” 

-          Again, this was not a resurrection of the church.

-          This was a resurrection of her brother who had died and was in the tomb.

2)      Jesus’ teaching in John 5:28-29

 

Marvel not at this:  for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

 

a)      Jesus is speaking about “all that are in the graves.”

b)      Those who are put in graves are dead people.

c)       Those dead people who are in the grave shall be resurrected to one of two destinies:  life or damnation.

d)     If the resurrection has to do with the revitalization of the church after the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, what is the resurrection of damnation about which Jesus speaks?

 

III.              QUESTION # 3:  Jason Moore’s Work in Asia

 

A.     Question:  One aspect of our theme this year is “Reaching Out.”  We will be doing this during the month of February.  We will be supporting a preacher named Jason Moore who will begin teaching in The College of the Bible in Malaysia.  Can you tell us about him?

B.      Answer:

1.       This is a picture of Jason, his wife, Danielle, and their two girls Sarah (4) and Arielle (6 months).

 

Image preview

 

2.       He presently preaches for the Cleveland church of Christ in Bankston, AL.

 

May be an image of tree and grass

 

3.       Jason and his wife graduated from the University of North Alabama, and he was a high school science teacher for 3 years.

4.       In 2017, he and his family moved to Memphis, TN, and he graduated from the Memphis School of Preaching in 2019.

5.       At the MSOP Lectureship, Jason heard a plea for anyone interested in teaching at the Four Sea College of the Bible and Missions in Singapore.

a.       He inquired about the work.

b.      Too, he travelled to Singapore in June of 2022 and visited it firsthand. 

c.       When he returned, he talked to his wife, prayed about it, and decided to raise the support to go there to teach.

6.       Four Seas College of the Bible and Missions

a.       A work that is over seen by the Jurong church of Christ in Singapore.

 

A picture containing diagram

Description automatically generated

b.      The school is located on the third floor of the Jurong church of Christ church building.

 

150 Attend Four Seas Lectureship – Brotherhood News

 

c.       The school has been in existence for 52 years.

1)      The school offers:  full-time diploma program in Biblical studies, short-term extension Bible courses, an Annual Bible Lectureship, ad-hoc Bible seminars, and other programs to enrich an individual’s understanding of the Bible.

2)      The preacher training school has a curriculum that is very similar to the curriculum of the MSOP.

3)      Our over 200 graduates serve and have served in countries across Asia including Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Nepal, India and Sri Lanka” (www.fourseas.edu.sg).

7.       Being willing to uproot one’s family and serve in a foreign land involves a major commitment.  Too, it is a huge endeavor.

a.       There are relocation fees.

b.      Then, there are the monthly living expenses that are needed.

c.       I spoke with Jason on the phone and he said that the support is coming very slowly. 

d.      He hopes to be able to move in June, but, if not, he will continue to teach on-line courses for the College of the Bible until he secures his funding.

8.       This month, we are focused on the Reaching Out portion of our theme for 2023.  All of the funds that we raise over our budgeted amount in February will be contributed to Jason Moore’s work. 

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     We have studied three questions.

1.       Will there be pets in heaven?

2.       What is preterism?

3.       And, who will we be supporting in the mission field in February?

 

B.      My friends, regardless of what preterism says, there will still be a final judgment of all men. 

1.       Paul tells us that God has “appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained…” (Acts 17:31).

2.       Too, if men still die, and they do, then there will be a judgment (Heb. 9:27).

 

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.