OceanSide church of Christ

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QUESITONS AND ANSWERS (84)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     When people ask questions, they want answers.

 

B.     The word “answer” has a unique background.

1.     The most basic definition is “a response to a question.”

2.     It comes from a word that means “opposite facing,” or “to be against by swearing with an oath.”

a.      In the formal sense it involves testimony in a court of law.

b.      In an informal sense, it simply means to reply to a question.

 

C.      In our Q&A Lesson, you have questions to which you desire answers.  In that lesson, I stand opposite of you and respond to the question.

 

D.     In this lesson, we will look at three questions.

 

I.             QUESTION #1:  SATAN AS A SERPENT

 

A.     Stated:  Discuss the idea of Satan’s being a serpent in the Garden of Eden.

 

B.     Answer:

1.     As we begin this discussion, we must remember that the conflict that transpired in heaven between God and Satan had already occurred.  Satan and his angels were cast out of their heavenly habitation (Jude 6a).

 

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation…

 

2.     In the animal kingdom, there was a creature of God whose movements and deadly nature were much like that of the evil one (Gen. 3:1a).

 

Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.

 

a.      Subtle

1)      Strong (6175):  cunning

2)      BDB:  shrewd, crafty, sly

b.      Features:

1)      Extremely quiet

2)      Able to hide from view.

3)      Waits till the precise moment to strike.

4)      The bite brings great harm and possible death.

3.     Satan, as a spirit being, had to manifest himself in some form to the woman.  He chose the serpent that manifested some of his qualities.  (NOTE: Even Paul affirms that this was a serpent, 2 Cor. 11:3).

 

But I fear, lest by any means as the serpent beguiled Even through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

 

4.     Since the serpent was used in the temptation and fall of the first couple, a curse was placed upon the animal (Gen. 3:14).

 

And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.

 

a.      There are all kinds of statements from commentators regarding this curse placed upon the serpent.

1)      Clarke believes the serpent once walked upright, but this changed to a crawl upon the belly when God spoke these words.  Question:  Did every snake that God created immediately start crawling instead of walking?

2)      Some commentators affirm that the serpent had wings and could fly.  This is the reason it was found in the tree.  Question:  Was the serpent in the tree when it spoke to Eve?

b.      The real punishment is found in the curse.

1)      Comments:

a)      Clarke:  “…thou shalt be considered the contemptible of animals…” (e-sword).

b)      Barnes:  “…a state of greater degradation than the other land animals…”

2)      There are very few individuals who have an affinity for snakes.  There is an expression that says:  “The only good snake is a dead snake.”

 

II.            QUESTION #2:  THE GARDEN OF EDEN

 

A.     Stated:  What happened to the Garden of Eden?  Was it taken up into heaven?

 

B.     Answer:

1.     The Garden of Eden was the very first home of Adam and Eve (Gen. 2:15).

 

And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

 

2.     This garden housed a very special tree, the tree of life.

3.     After man sinned in the garden, God did not want man to have the ability to eat of its fruit and live forever. 

a.      Thus, man was cast out of the garden (Gen. 3:24).

 

So he drove out the man…

 

b.      “…and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”

4.     This was a real place.  It was a real garden.  It existed upon the face of the earth.  It was somewhere in the vicinity of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (Gen. 2:14).

 

And the name of the third river is Hiddekel:  that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria.  And the fourth river is Euphrates.

 

5.     What happened to it?  It perished in the waters of the flood (Gen. 7:19).

 

And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.

 

6.     That garden was a place of perfection and involved man’s fellowship with God.  Too, the tree of life was there. 

a.      Heaven is a spiritual Eden.

b.      Features:

1)      Restored fellowship with God (Rev. 21:3)

2)      The tree of life (Rev. 22:2)

3)      No curse (Rev. 22:3)

4)      It will be the eternal home of the redeemed (Rev. 22:5)

 

III.           QUESTION #3:  HOUSE CHURCHES

 

A.     Stated:  What is a house church?

 

B.     Answer:

1.     Early in my preaching career, small groups that met in homes on Sunday evenings were called “house churches.”   These groups took the place of the Sunday evening services in some congregations.

2.     Everything one does must have authority (Col. 3:17).

 

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

 

3.     When asked about the authority for a “house church,” two verses were brought forth.

a.      Romans 16:5

 

Likewise greet the church that is in their house…

 

b.      Colossians 4:15

 

Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.

 

4.     These passages do not grant authority for small groups meeting in homes on Sunday evening.

a.      In the first century, most churches did not have church buildings.  They met in many places:  rooms, caves, in the temple, and in personal houses.

b.      Turning the church which meet in someone’s house into a “house church” is a manipulation of the Scriptures.

5.     Are small groups authorized?

a.      They are authorized within the authority of the elders.

1)      A corporate worship is authorized in the Scriptures.  The church must come together once a week to worship and praise the Almighty God on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7).

2)      The elders are obligated to “feed the flock” (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2).

 

Feed the flock of God which is among you…

 

3)      How they feed the flock is up to the discretion of the eldership.

a)      Bible classes

b)      An additional worship service on Sunday.

c)       VBS

d)      Gospel meetings

e)      Special classes:  ladies, men, teens

f)       Workshops

g)      Small groups

b.      NOTE:  Something can be authorized, but it might be the most expedient thing to do.  With regard to small groups, there can be problems.

1)      The church does not come together enough as it is.  This just keeps the members apart instead of coming together.

2)      Who is going to lead the group?

3)      What is actually being taught in the group?

4)      What determines who is in a group?

5)      Is the time being used wisely?

6)      Will these groups become factions within the church?

7)      The groups could become a place to express feelings and to unload complaints about the church.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     We have learned some things about Bible study that we need to remember in this Q&A lesson.

1.     We have to try to see the big picture in some cases. 

a.      We know the Garden of Eden was protected when man was cast out.

b.      However, we often forget about the worldwide flood that destroyed the earth.

2.     We do not need to make assumptions that cannot be proven.

a.      The serpent walked upright when it was first created.

b.      The serpent had wings and flew in the trees. 

c.      We assume the serpent was in the forbidden tree when it talked to Eve, but the text does not say that.

d.      Many assume the food that she ate was an apple, and the text does not reveal that either.

3.     We do not need to manipulate passages of Scripture in order to try to make them teach things we want to do.  If something is not authorized, we should leave it off. 

 

B.     Questions and Answers Sunday are extremely interesting.  They enable us to tackle and study things we might not otherwise.