The Word of Truth

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Is the Bible really a coded book? How can I understand the code?

Reply:

The Bible is an inspired book. Brother Peter tells us that, “no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.”* (2 Peter 1:20) That is, the book conveys the thoughts of God to us about many things that we need to know. It is not up to us to try to figure out what is meant as best we can. If we try to do this, many different and conflicting ideas are put forward. The only way to not have a “private interpretation” is to be inspired to understand the original meaning(s) that God put in there for us. In other words, we need to be inspired to understand and rightly divide the Word of truth just as the authors of the different books in the Bible were inspired in the first place. To put this in Scriptural terms, we need to be “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day”* (Revelation 1:10) as Brother John was on Patmos. When we are in the Spirit and thus taught of God, different scriptures will harmonize that seem contradictory, and we will receive much help that will prove to be sound and right as our lives unfold.

There is another side to this, as well. If we do not approach the Word of God with an inspired understanding, we will wrest the Word of God to our own destruction. It is written in such a way as to confound the wise and mighty (1 Corinthians 1:26-29). Many people really believe that they see things in there that mean certain things, when the truth is that they are deluded and have not been enlightened by the Spirit of God. All around us are the results of people trying to do it some other way than by divine inspiration, and the results are confusion, doubts, and skepticism; yes, “every evil work.”* (James 3:13-16)

Are humans born in sin?

Reply:

“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”* (Psalm 51:5)

“The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.”* (Psalm 58:3)

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned…. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.”* (Romans 5:12,14)

These scriptures help us to understand the nature of the sin which afflicts man from birth. It is not wilful rebellion against what is known to be wrong, as Adam committed, but it is sin which is “not… after the similitude of Adam’s transgression.” It is a sinful nature, a nature of wrath, which leads to actual transgression. Inherited sin that leads to committed sin. This inherited nature of sin causes men to go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies, etc., but at that time of life, the sin is not imputed to the individual, as this is “before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.”* (Isaiah 7:16) Eventually this innocence ends, and all go astray by choosing to do things that are known to be wrong. Thus the depravity of the nature leads to a guilty conscience and a state of condemnation. As Paul says, “For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.”* (Romans 7:9) Note that although he had a nature of sin, a nature of wrath (Ephesians 2:3), he was alive once. He lost that innocent state before God when sin revived, and he died (spiritually).

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Operation of God’s Body

Is it true that the days of miracles have passed?

Reply:

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”* (Mark 16:17-18)

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”* (John 14:12-14)

The power of healing is given to some in the church. “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”* (1 Corinthians 12:8-11)

The power of healing is given to the elders. “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”* (James 5:14-15)

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”* (Hebrews 13:8)

What role do women have in the church of God? Can women function in leadership in the church?

Reply:

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”* (Galatians 3:28)

“I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant [the word servant here is translated deacon in 1 Timothy 3:8] of the church which is at Cenchrea: That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.”* (Romans 16:1-2) Note the authority and place that this sister had. “That ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you.” Paul says she had been a help to him and others, as well.

“But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.”* (1 Corinthians 14:3)

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.”* (Acts 2:17-18)

“And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room…. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus and with his brethren.”* (Acts 1:13-14)

Peter related this prophecy in Joel (“your sons and your daughters shall prophesy”* ()) to explain to the audience why the men and women who had just been filled with the Holy Ghost were prophesying to them.

“We entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.”* (Acts 21:8-9)

“But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth….”* (1 Corinthians 11:5)

Men, laboring in the gospel:

“Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord.”* (Romans 16:12)

“I [Paul] laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”* (1 Corinthians 15:10)

Women, laboring in the gospel:

“And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.”* (Philippians 4:3)

Men, helping in the gospel:

“And when he [Apollos] was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace.”* (Acts 18:27)

“Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.”* (Rom. 16:9)

“We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.”* (3 Jn. 1:8)

Women, helping in the gospel:

“Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus.”* (Romans 16:3)

“And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.”* (Acts 18:26)

What does it really mean that women are to keep silent in the church?

Reply:

“Let your women keep silent in the churches.”* (1 Corinthians 14:34) “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.”* (1 Timothy 2:11) Does the Bible mean to teach us that at all times, in the congregation, women should not teach nor minister? In Acts 2:16-17 they did not keep silent, nor does the Bible manifest disapproval of their prophesying to all. Priscilla did not keep silent in Acts 18:26; she assisted her husband in teaching another brother: “They… expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.”

Well, one may say, what does the Bible mean when it says for them to keep silent? Paul tells us that they should learn in silence when not to do so would be to teach or usurp authority over the man (1 Timothy 2:12). But in the New Testament church, none of us (man, woman, child, rich, poor, bond, or free) have authority over the others in the church relationship, for there we are all brethren (Mark 10:42-45; Matthew 23:8-12). Now for a wife to argue or contend with her husband for his position in the family is properly termed to usurp his authority, and there she should be silent whenever such situation arises. But in the church relationship, none have authority over each other in respective position for there we are all brethren before Christ, the Head. None of us is given authority over the other except the authority that comes from being used of God. And in that, the authority is actually the Lord’s as He works within the chosen vessel.

Well, one may say, doesn’t the scripture in 1 Corinthians 14:34 say for women to keep silence in the church? Yes, and it also tells the men to keep silent (1 Corinthians 14:28-30). Note the significance of the pronoun your in verse 34. The apostle did not say that all women should keep silent, just your women. They were the ones out of order. According to the next verse, they raised inappropriate questions that should be handled out of the church setting—at home. Had the apostle commanded them to hear no women, the meaning would be different from what was expressed. But he was well aware of how God used women in the ministry—he had been blessed and edified by them (Romans 16:1-2). And he knew that anyone should be silent who is out of order. “If any man speak [the term man is used here as a appellation for all mankind, masculine and feminine alike], let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ.”* (1 Peter 4:11) That is the only right that any of us has to speak—“of the ability that God giveth.” If God is not using us, we should be silent.

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Death and the Ressurection

Were Enoch and Elijah not taken to heaven, as it seems both did not die physically? How do I reconcile the fact that human souls can die at physical death?

Reply:

“And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.”* (Genesis 5:24)

“By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”* (Hebrews 11:5)

“And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold,there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.”* (2 Kings 2:11)

“Your heart shall live for ever.”* (Psalm 22:26)

“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”* (2 Corinthians 4:16)

“But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.”* (1 Timothy 5:6)

These are but a few of the scriptures that teach that man is a two-fold being, comprised of a body and of a spirit. The spirit is also referred to as a heart and as the soul. The term soul is also used to refer to the entire combined man, body and spirit. Physical death is the state of the spirit of a man being separated from the body. “And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.”* (Genesis 35:18) Note that the soul was not in “parting”; the soul was “departing” from the body. When Elijah was praying for the dead child of the widow of Sidon, he prayed, “O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again.”* (1 Kings 17:21)

But it is possible for a soul to be dead while the physical man is alive. “But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.”* (1 Timothy 5:6) “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”* (Ephesians 2:1) People who were alive physically, but spiritually dead at the same time. The condition of the soul is not changed by physical death. If it was spiritually dead when physical death occurs, the soul is still spiritually dead. If it was spiritually alive when physical death occurs, the soul remains spiritually alive. There is a place for the spiritually alive to reside after physical death. There is another place for the spiritually dead to reside after physical death. Both of these places are in hades, the world of disembodied spirits. The word hades has been translated as hell in the Bible. The word gehenna is also translated hell. This is why Jesus spoke of God as the God of the living, not the dead (Mark 12:27). He is the God of the physically dead, but they are still living (in conscious existence).

When the soul is reunited with the body after death, then it is called a resurrection. When a soul is reconciled with God, its source of life, then a spiritual resurrection takes place, and the soul comes alive. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”* (Ephesians 2:1) To “quicken” is to bring to life.

Will there be a time when Jesus will come FOR the saints, and another time that He will come WITH them?

Reply:

In the following scripture text, both the saints that are alive physically and those who have already died physically will be involved in the (singular) future coming of the Lord. “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: [to meet their spirits coming with the Lord—Ecclesiastes 12:7] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”* (1 Thessalonians 4:14-18) Paul said that he bowed his knees to the Father of the entire family “in heaven and earth.”* (Ephesians 3:15) In 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18, the entire family is united at the trumpet of God at the resurrection of the dead. “A resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.”* (Acts 24:15)

Are there some people who will not be resurrected?

Reply:

“There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.”* (Acts 24:15) This covers everybody, doesn’t it? The just and the unjust.

“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”* (Revelation 20:12-15) Again, consider the total comprehensiveness of this picture. No one is left out. All of mankind that has ever lived are there.

Some Scripture, such as 1 Corinthians 15, only discusses part of this picture, and it is possible to get the idea that only part of mankind will be there. But, as we see from these other scriptures quoted above, everyone will be there. Everyone will be resurrected at the general resurrection.