Several months after JFK's assassination I walked into a dormitory elevator with several of my classmates at Rutgers University and saw a label stuck to the wall asking: "Who killed John Kennedy?"
"Look at that" said one of my friends in disgust. Another replied: "Whoever put that there has GOT to be sick." I agreed. After all, everyone knew that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman, and that it was an irrational act or a "disturbed" individual. Official inquiry had validated this comfortable resolution.
In retrospect I was completely wrong. The question was important, but it was sneakingly stuck on the wall because it was not socially acceptable to openly ask it. Now that it is, we may never know the truth.
Perhaps our more open communications will prevent this with regard to the Oklahoma tragedy as well as the many other mysteries of our time which demand open answers. Perhaps. But Christians know better than to depend upon man for stability and a sense of reality in these troubled times. Romans 3:4 states: "let God be true, but every man a liar." The bible is our only anchor in the storm.
And the bible clearly tells Christians that we are not to seek vengeance (Rom. 12:19), that we are to support our government (Rom. 13: 1-7), that our weapons are not of this world (Jn. 18:36; Rom 1:16), and that God hates the shedding of innocent blood (Prov. 6:16-17). While most of our leaders seem only to be maximizing their political benefit from the tragedy, have faith: those responsible will be held accountable by a just and righteous God (Rom. 2:2-8).
These bible study questions provide assistance to you in studying and teaching God's word. The answers are quite clear, and they prove that we can have the same understanding by reading as the apostles had (Ephesians 3:4). We challenge you to open your bible and establish the truth.
On God's Plan of Salvation
Can a person be saved who refuses to hear, be taught, and learn the word of truth? John 6: 44-46
Must you believe in Jesus in order to have everlasting life? John 3: 16; John 8: 24
Can a person believe if he refuses to hear the word of Christ? Romans 10:17
Is repentance the natural result of one's belief? Luke 13: 3; Acts 17: 30-31
Is genuine repentance more than being sorry? Can being truly sorry before God for sin lead to repentance? Should one bear the fruit of a changed life after repentance? Corinthians 7: 10; Matthew 3: 8
If you believe and repent but will not confess Jesus before men (that is, be willing to state your belief that He is the Son of God), can you be saved? Matthew 10: 32-33
Must you confess Jesus with your mouth in order to please God? Romans 10: 9-10
Is baptism a result of belief (faith)? Mark 16: 15-16
Is baptism commanded to those who have repented? Acts 2: 38
Does baptism place a person in a saved condition before God (i.e., into Christ)? 1 Peter 3: 21; Rom. 6:3-4; Acts 22:16
Given the biblical definition of these words, does God's word teach that a person must hear, believe, repent, confess and be baptized to be saved?
No greater injustice can be done to a man than to convince him that he is saved when, in reality, he is not. Heinous crimes, such as assault, theft and even murder, affect only the physical person. Misleading people with regard to their salvation can affect them throughout eternity.
As teachers we should recognize the responsibility that this places upon us (Ja. 3:1). This is one reason that we prefer to present God's plan of salvation in question form (see adjacent page). The listed verses allow God's word to speak for itself.
What man says, what any particular group teaches, or what one might feel to be true does not create reality (Rom. 3:4); God's word is the only reliable standard (2 Tim. 3:16-17) by which we can determine His will.
While most do not feel secure in taking the bible for what it says, they readily accept populist religious doctrine with no real proof.
It is very uncomfortable to challenge popular teachings. It was uncomfortable for Abraham, Moses, Noah and all the rest of the great men and women who proved faithful to God (read Hebrews 11). God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34): He expects the same faith of each one of us.
If the popular religious teachings were of God, our country would not be in the state of moral depravity that it is in today; this nation would not be guilty of the murder of well over a million unborn per year; pornography would not be flooding our airwaves; etc., etc. It is time for us to wake up and turn back to the word of God!
As you consider the scriptures presented on the adjacent page, recognize that we are restricting consideration to that portion of God's plan which applies to those outside of Christ. Once one becomes a Christian, the rest of the New Testament applies: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Mt. 4:4).
Those who become Christians embark upon a life that is under the total lordship of Christ (Gal. 2:20). We cannot consider ourselves Christians unless we have the desire to obey Jesus in every possible way (Heb. 5:9). The apostle John defined the love of God "that we keep His commandments: and his commandments are not grievous" (1 Jn. 5:3).
The bible is too complicated to understand ...
but Eph. 3:3-4 states "... by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)."
Could we ask for more understanding that the Apostle Paul had? On the other hand, the bible is not trivial. The Apostle Peter referring to the writings of Paul stated "in which are some things hard to be understood" (2 Pet. 3:16).
It is not difficult to reconcile these two views. Peter did not say that all things were hard to be understood. We can be safe in concluding that parts of God's word are quite simple (2 Cor. 11:3), while others are much more challenging. The Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 3:2) and the Hebrew writer (Heb. 5:12) both spoke of the milk of the word which was easily digested, as opposed to the meat, which required more maturity for its discernment.
God expects us to render obedience in all things which we understand to be His will (Heb. 5:9). However, even after a lifetime of study, we never "arrive." Indeed, it was those who had the most confidence in their knowledge of God's word who were the recipients of the harshest rebuke from our savior (Mt. 23).
Many misunderstand God's word; but the reason has nothing to do with intellectual ability (Mt. 11:25, 13:10-17).