Questions I

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Another Sermon for the Starving Bible Believing Christians All Over the World Wide Web
2005 - Touchet Baptist Church, Touchet, Washington - Pastor Mike Paulson - 2005
Expounding the way of God more perfectly - Acts 18:26 - with the Scriptures Rightly Divided - II Timothy 2:15

Confusing Questions
With One Simple Answer

As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things;
in which are some things hard to be understood,
which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest,
as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
II Peter 3:16

I Timothy 1:4 - Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
I Timothy 6:3-6 - If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain.
II Timothy 2:23-26 - But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Titus 3:9 - But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

Are These Foolish Questions Today?

Do the answers given today become cunningly devised fables?
For we have not followed cunningly devised fables,
when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
II Peter 1:16

1. Are Folks Really Saved the Same all the way through the Bible?
Revelation 14:9-13 - And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

2. Does God Open and Shut Doors Today - and even prevent us from closing them?
Revelation 3:8 - I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
or
Revelation 3:15-16 - I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Who shuts whose door today? We shut ours to Him! See Revelation 3:29

3. Does Doing Good Make us be of God?
III John 11 - Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

4. Can we get out of the love of God and not receive His mercy anymore - if so, how?
Jude 21 - Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

5. If we don't know His will, then He won't hear us?
I John 5:14,15 - And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

6. If we still sin, then we must not be born of God? If I still do sin, as I am told, then am I of the devil?
I John 5:18a - We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not;
I John 3:4-9 - Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

7. Do we have to confess our sins for forgiveness?
I John 1:5-10 - This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Proverbs 28:13orEphesians 1:7

8. Do we keep his commandments today? Do we have to? Do we keep all ten - or more?
I John 2:3-6 - And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

9. The Time is Come? Judgment?
I Peter 4:17 - For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

10. It is? End of ALL things?
I Peter 4:7 - But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

11. Doing Charitable things can get me to heaven?
I Peter 4:8 - And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

12. Fiery Trials? Like maybe the Tribulation?
I Peter 4:12, 13 - Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

13. Is this an excuse for a husband to demand obedience from his wife by his physical fear, etc.?
I Peter 3:1,2 - Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
Compare to Paul and Ephesians 5
You can't go to Hebrews to justify your 'chastisement' and verbal / physical abuse to your wife and family!
Be glad the Lord doesn't treat you like some of you treat your wife and children!
I have never heard an abuser claim Paul's gospel and Ephesians 5 as his justification to hit his wife!

14. Christians or Jews? Return to the Shepherd?
I Peter 2:21/25 - For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 25: For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

15. Let's see - who would be among the Gentiles? Gentiles? Really?
I Peter 2:12 - Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

16. Born again reference, again.
I Peter 1:23 - Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

17. Is Your Conversation holy?
I Peter 1:15,16 - But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

18. Do You Still Have a Grudge Against Someone?
James 5:9 - Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

19. Works or faith - which is it?
James 2:14 - What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

20. Haven't you asked? Have you received everytime? Has your preacher claimed this verse and Put the Guilt on You?
James 1:5 - If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

21. Are you Going to Die Sometime When You Fall to a Temptation? Don't you love the Lord - How do we love the Lord?
James 1:12 - Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

22. Sure seems like our works and our faith is what this is all about?
Hebrews 10:16-26

23. Is it fearful? Has it been for you now? Is that what Paul preaches?
Hebrews 10:31 - It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

24. Sounds like Matthew 5:9, etc. To be saved, we must follow peace, etc.?
Hebrews 12:14 - Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

25. Can we really drawback / fall away?
Hebrews 10:38,39 - Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
or
Hebrews 6:4-6 - For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
or
Hebrews 3:12 - Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

You don't need to go to the Greek to answer these questions!
You don't need a new modern 'easier to understand' bible perversion!
You don't need a formal education or a pastor who has one in order for you to understand the answer to those questions!

The answer is very simple...
We can learn a lot from those questions and from the correct answers, but...

...those questions are not TO us today!