Questions On God's Dealings With Humanity

Answer When we consider God's communication to us, the New Testament Scriptures speak very plainly: Although in days gone by, He spoke to mankind in many different ways and in different manners, in the days during the gospel age, He now speaks to us ONLY in His son, Heb. 1:1-2. It is dangerous for us to suppose the manner in which God speaks, we must KNOW. In John 1, we are told that in the beginning, the Word was with God and the Word was God (vs 1); then in verse 14, it says that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. While upon this earth, Jesus did not speak His own words, but spoke what His Father had told Him to speak (John 14:10). In John 17:8, while in prayer to the Father, He said that the words the Father gave to Him, He had given to His apostles. The way He did this was by sending the Holy Spirit to them. You can read about this in John chapters 14-17. Some highlights: John 14:15-26: Jesus promised to send the Spirit. Remember, in this context, only the apostles were present (it was during the last supper). John 14:25-26: He said that the Spirit would teach them all things and bring to remembrance all things that Jesus had said to them. John 15:26: He said the Spirit would bear witness of Jesus along with the apostles (because they were with Him from the beginning, so they could be witness also). John 16:7-15: We learn further that the Spirit would convict the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment; that by the Spirit the apostles would be guided into all truth, and would have the future disclosed to them. We see these things fulfilled in the lives of the apostles in Acts chapters 1 and the first part of chapter 2, in which Jesus tells them to wait in Jerusalem for the Spirit which had been promised to them (1:1-9). The Spirit came upon them in the form of a baptism (the were "immersed" in the Spirit) in 2:1-4.

Now regarding two points that you raise, it is crucial to understand that, yes, the Bible can be understood by most anyone who works at it. If not, then the Scriptures themselves lie. Consider these passages:

John 20:30-31 "And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." How does John say that one might come to believe in Christ? By reading what he (John) has written concerning Jesus. What sense is there in writing to someone who isn't going to be able to understand? Eph 3:3-4 "…how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)…" Was Paul lying when he said that his readers could understand what he understood? Or were his readers somehow smarter than us?

I Jn 1:3-4 "…that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full." John says that we can have fellowship (which means a sharing, literally, "commonality") with the apostles through the things they wrote. Did they write in vain to people who couldn't understand?

1 Cor 2:12-13 "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches…"

There are more passages than these, but you get the point. The Scriptures were MEANT to be read and understood. Even those so-called difficult Old Testament Scriptures could be understood. We are told that they were written for our learning, our instruction, and our comfort (1 Cor. 10:11, Rom. 15:4). What could we possibly learn and would comfort could we get from something we can't understand? You see also by this that these are not words written by men, but by the Spirit of God. There is no difference in what was spoken and what was written. The same Spirit directed men in both.

Of course, you have a point when you imply that we can not know EVERYTHING, either about the Scriptures, or about God. But what we are concerned with is that men are not bothering to learn what CAN be learned about the Bible and about God. The vast majority of people, if they seek God at all, do so by their own devices and philosophies. He can not be found that way. You say that God speaks to you in other ways than through His written word. If by that you mean that we learn how to apply God's word by putting into practice the things that it teaches, then I would agree. Well, not I, but the Scriptures. That's what Hebrews 5:14 says. But if you mean that God teaches you truths that are not written in His word, then I would ask you to tell me what those truths are. I have never come across a truth regarding God or His will that has not already been revealed in His word. I have been informed of many so-called truths that contradict His word. In such cases, I must stand on the word. 1 Peter 4:11 teaches that if anyone speaks, he should speak as it were the utterances of God. When I speak from Scripture, I know I am speaking the utterances of God. All else is human wisdom and reasoning. Contact Doug

Question 2. Why does it seem like the God in the Old Testament is not the same God as in the New Testament? For example, the God in the Old Testament was one of revenge and death (he would help those he liked to win battles and kill people and he asked for sacrifices of animals) The God in the new testament seems to be more loving and forgiving and more along the lines of Jesus. This is quite confusing. I do no understand why their would be a difference or even why God would need a sacrifice of any sort. Could you please offer some explanation?

Answer First, let me assert that I do not believe that God, as revealed in the New Testament, is any different from the God that is revealed in the Old Testament, as far as His basic nature and character are concerned. In fact, in both testaments, this point is made clear.

MAL 3:6 "For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.

HEB 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever.

Although, in the New Testament, we have a fuller view of the nature of God through Jesus His Son, still, God's basic character has always been consistent since the very beginning. Both in the Old and the New Testaments we have various instances of God's wrath against sin on the one hand and God's mercy toward sinners on the other hand. We will point out just a few passages to consider. Notice His mercy and His wrath in both testaments.

In Gen. 6:3, we learn that God, instead of instantly destroying humanity for their sins, waited 120 years before He brought the universal flood upon the earth. Is this not a display of God's mercy and patience toward sinful humanity?

Then, we read of David's sins against God, especially in the taking of Bathsheba to be his wife and the murder of her husband. Yet, in 2 Samuel 12, we read of God's mercy extended toward a penitent David.

Also, we read of God's mercy extended many times to the people of Israel, although they provoked Him greatly by their sins. See Numbers 13-14.

Then, in the New Testament, we see God's mercy fully displayed in Christ Jesus' death for us. John 3:16. Yet, we also see His wrath poured out against those who sinned. See Acts 5:1-11.

When it is all said and done, God is both merciful and just. Whether He displays these attributes in the same specific ways as He did in the past, we can be assured that He is the same in these areas. Therefore, our goal ought to be to serve Him in the way He directs while we have the opportunity. See Rom. 11:13-25, especially verse 22. Contact Gary

Question 3. As believers - What are the promises of God to his children and what are the promises of Jesus to saved individuals? Specifically, what versus can I look up?

Answer The most basic promise is that of Heaven *if* we endure. Read Revelation 2:10.

You can split up the promises into 2 categories: those blessings we receive in this life and those we receive in the next. You might peruse the Psalms for promises of blessings in this life; 2 that spring to mind are Psalms 1 and Psalms 23. Although these were written by David and not Christ, they are still true for us today.

As for promises for the next life, Read John 14:1-6 and Revelation 21:9-22:5. These are some of the most beautiful passages in the Bible.

There are no promises of riches or of a happy life ("happy" as people of the world would define it). Although David writes that the man of God will prosper, he isn't talking about physical blessings, although God certainly does provide us with those things. It's more about what Paul said in his letter to Timothy:

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 1 Timothy 6:6-8

God will never forsake us. Read Romans 8:38-39.

The Lord promises us that we will be blessed with the things that we need in this life (food, clothing, shelter) and that we will receive a home with Him in the next, *if* we are faithful Christians. Unfortunately, there are very, very few true Christians in the world today. Another of Jesus's promises is that those who want to know His truth will find it (Matt. 7:7-8) and that those who do not want the truth will not find it (2 Thes. 2:9-12). Contact Michael

Question 4. Do we have real choices in life? I mean if God knows all I do? I really have a choice in what I do. Like if there are 3 ways to get to my home from work and I choose way 2 did I really make a choice? Because if God knows all was that really a choice??

Answer You have asked one of the most fundamental and yet one of the most misunderstood questions as it relates to God and man. Do we really have choices in life or are we simply robots that are controlled and manipulated by God?

Many who believe we do not have choices teach that we are born guilty of sin. Further, they teach that in order to be saved the Holy Spirit must take action upon our will because we cannot choose to obey God. They teach that after obeying God we cannot choose to turn from God and be lost after once being saved. Either these things are true or not. And, they all rest on one concept, free choice. Does the Bible teach that although God may know certain actions, do we still have the freedom to choose our way, either to obey or disobey Him?

Unique among all of God's creation is man, given the ability to freely choose how he will behave and thus endowed with the greatest responsibility. Gen. 1:26-31. We can choose how we will respond to God, whether we will serve Him or not. He does not force us to serve Him. Note, the stirring words as Joshua, the leader of Israel as they conquered Canaan, spoke to them in his farewell address.

JOS 24:14 � "Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. JOS 24:15 "And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Note the words, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve. If they did not have any choices, this statement would be absurd. But, they did have a choice and with the choices came consequences either good or bad. But, God did not make the choices for them.

When we look at choice, we can see these four truths revealed in the Bible. Any teaching that would seek to deny these things is fundamentally false.

1. Man can choose to sin against God. Sin is a violation of God's law. It is not passed along by the genes or contracted like a disease, but sin is an action that man chooses to perform. The first sin is a perfect example of this. Gen. 3. When we follow and act in this way, we become guilty of sin. 1 John 3:4, 5:17, Rom. 3:23, James 4:17. It is sin that separates us from God. Isa. 59:1-2.

2. We can choose to turn to God and be forgiven. God has revealed the gospel to us and how we should obey Him. We can choose to yield our will to His and receive forgiveness. See Acts 2, especially verses 40-41. They chose to respond and some chose not to respond. The apostles were told to preach to the world so that people could make their choices. Mark 16:15-16.

3. After being saved, Christians can choose to be lost. Note the warnings 8n 2 Peter. 2:20-22, Hebrews 6:4-6. What do these warnings mean if we do not have the power to choose to follow the world again after once being in good standing with God?

4. Thankfully, we can choose to turn back to God after we have abandoned Him. An example of this is Simon in Acts 8:13-25. We are told to seek to restore those back to the Lord again who have turned away. James 5:19-20.

What does all this mean? No matter what we believe the Bible teaches about how much God knows, we must accept the plain teaching that people then and we now have important choices to make in our lives. To deny this is to deny the teaching of Scriptures. Have you made these choices that will save your soul? See Acts 2, especially verses 22-47. Contact Gary

Question 5. My friends and I have been going around in circles on this question: Is God's love unconditional? We are confused because of the simple fact that God did hate and therefore that would be a condition. One friend says that salvation is conditional but not God's love for us. Could you please clear up this problem???